As UConn stretched its perfect start to the season, Geno Auriemma recalls how a concerning trend haunted his team over the years. UConn went 26-0 after a blowout victory against Creighton. Geno Auriemma knows that the real battle isn’t winning games but letting go of the baggage that held them back until 2025.

Auriemma talked about the mindset that hurt UConn during the tough years of 2017 and 2018 on the Hoops HQ Sports and Fubo Sports YouTube Channel. “I would say that for a number of years, there between 2017-18, I think maybe the bigness of it all got to some of our guys. The idea that you were always going into every game and the fear of losing, I think for the first time, became greater than winning.”

That fear of losing inevitably made the team lose crucial games. Even though they were still competitive during the run, the program went nine seasons without winning a national championship from 2016 to 2025.

The veteran coach developed a new perspective on team building and managing players after the 2025 championship triumph against South Carolina.

“This is game number 26 for us. After 26 games, you start to realize this is who we are as a team,” Auriemma said. “There are things that I can fix, and there are things that can’t be fixed… my job is to fix what I can and hide what I can’t.”

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Even after the 94-44 victory against Creighton, Auriemma didn’t celebrate. He focused on minor flaws and sensed the need for improvement. The three offensive rebounds and excessive reliance on three-point shooting (53.8%) certainly irked the coach.

Geno Auriemma and UConn stay undefeated heading into the Marquette matchup

The Huskies are ranked first, with a 26-0 overall record and a 15-0 mark in the Big East. They will play Marquette on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET. Five players scored in double figures against Creighton, and the team made 53.8% of its three-point shots. Allie Ziebell came off the bench and scored 20 points, while Azzi Fudd added 19.

UConn’s recent record has been excellent against Marquette. They have beaten the Golden Eagles 23 times and lost once. Just two months ago, they beat them 89–53, with Sarah Strong scoring 17 points and grabbing seven rebounds.

After losing to Seton Hall 70-58, Marquette is now 16-9 overall and 10-6 in conference play. They depend on Skylar Forbes, who has been their best player, to deliver again.

UConn has a clear path to a perfect regular season. After Marquette, UConn has a clear path to a perfect regular season with games against Villanova, Providence, Georgetown, and St. John’s at Madison Square Garden to end the season