The best team in the country and the defending champions have opened the post- Paige Bueckers era in style, winning their first four games with confidence. Their latest victory came against Ohio State, where Geno Auriemma’s Lady Huskies cruised to a 100–68 win and rookie Blanca Quinonez officially announced her arrival to the rest of the country.

Just hours before their season opener against Louisville in the Peraton Armed Forces Classic, UConn dropped some tough news. Freshman Blanca Quinonez had suffered a left shoulder injury in practice over the weekend, and the program listed her as “day-to-day.” The setback kept her out of the first two games of the season. She finally made her debut against Loyola Chicago, scoring 5 points in 14 minutes, not the flashiest debut, but enough to get her feet wet.

Her second game, though, was a completely different story and a real treat for UConn fans.

Quinonez finished the game with 18 points and 4 rebounds, but there was one concern that stood out. She committed five turnovers, bringing her total to six already in just two games, and that’s a red flag UConn can’t ignore. Her talent is obvious, but the turnover issue could hurt the Huskies when they face tougher opponents down the line. It was something Geno Auriemma made sure to address in the postgame press conference.

“You know, the way they played over there… 24-second shot clock, eight seconds to get it across the court. There’s so many more possessions. You know, the possessions here,  30 seconds, 10 seconds,  it’s not a lot, but it’s a little bit slower game here. But in some ways it’s a faster game here because of how we play. And I don’t think she’s used to being up this much, so that’s why she throws the ball to the other team a lot. But once we fix that, I think we’re going to be okay.”

For those unaware, in the WNBA and most women’s leagues worldwide (including Italy, where Quinonez played), the shot clock is 24 seconds. In women’s college basketball, the shot clock is 30 seconds. Adjusting to that pace takes time, and that’s exactly what Auriemma was pointing out.

While no team could build a lead of more than four points in the first quarter, the Ecuador native brought instant calm to the Huskies’ offense. Even in just her second college game, she slowed the pace, read the Buckeyes’ defense well, and made the right decisions for the major part of the game, whether it was attacking the lane or finding the open teammate.

At the 2:32 mark, Quinonez grabbed a defensive rebound, pushed the ball coast-to-coast, finished through contact, and drew the foul. Her three-point play put UConn up 23–19. From that moment on, the Huskies took control and never looked back. Sarah Strong dominated with 29 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, five steals, and three blocks, while Azzi Fudd added 19 points and seven assists to close out a statement win.

But their next opponent won’t be an easy one.

Geno Auriemma acknowledges Michigan threat

Up next for the Lady Huskies is a big showdown against the No. 14 Michigan Wolverines at the Mohegan Sun Arena. On paper, the No. 1 team in the country taking on the No. 14 should make for a real spectacle, and that’s exactly what we might be in for on the 21st.

“Based on what I’ve seen from Michigan, they will be, for sure, the best team we play this year, by a long shot at this time in the season,” Auriemma said in the post-game press conference after the win over Ohio State. And he has a good reason to say it.

The Wolverines are coming off a dominant performance against Hannah Hidalgo’s Notre Dame. It wasn’t just that they won; it was how they won it. They absolutely annihilated the Fighting Irish, 93–54, and the Huskies will need to be at their very best to come away with a win on the 21st.

It will be interesting to see how the duo of Strong and Fudd combine in this one. The two are putting up around 35 points per game together, and they’ll need every bit of that, and maybe more, if UConn wants to take down the Wolverines. It’s also crucial for Blanca to keep her turnovers in check because Michigan will punish every mistake. Who do you think comes out on top in this matchup? Let us know in the comments down below!