Imagine winning a game by 52 points, sitting atop ESPN’s Power Rankings, and yet your head coach is still “not thrilled.” Well, that’s exactly how Geno Auriemma felt as the UConn Huskies recorded another dominant win of the 2025-26 NCAA season.

After the Huskies won their game against Loyola (83-31), Coach Auriemma addressed the media in the post-game interview, where he expressed his dissatisfaction with the team’s offense. He said, “I’m not exactly thrilled with where we are offensively right now. So much of our offense is coming from our defense. And I don’t know that’s something you’re gonna be able to count on every night. Getting 25 steals against people.”

“It’s the reason why we are doing what we are doing in these first three games, I think we can keep having that kinda effect on teams,” he said, acknowledging the early dominance of the Huskies in the game. However, “But I’d like to see us be a little more cohesive on the offense,” he added.

However, Auriemma’s frustration wasn’t misplaced. Despite the Huskies’ commanding win, where Sarah Strong led with 11 points on 50% shooting from the field, 4 assists, while adding 4 steals and 3 blocks. Much of their offense came from turnovers. The Huskies shot 48.1% from the field and 38.9% from three, but Loyola’s 36 turnovers did most of the heavy lifting. Even with 41 rebounds and just 12 turnovers of their own, the offense at times looked out of rhythm, while they held the Ramblers to 22% shooting from the field.

While for some, ‘Defense wins championships,’ for coach Geno Auriemma, both offense and defense play a critical role in major games, especially when the opponents have a great offense. The Huskies are 3-0 without any losses so far. But as the season moves forward, the Huskies will lock horns with teams like the Michigan Wolverines, Iowa, and many more, and just defense won’t work against them, if the Huskies are not planning to get dethroned.

However, amid the Huskies’ offensive struggles, Strong keeps on signing on an individual level.

Sarah Strong named AP National Player of the Week

Leading her team with back-to-back wins, Strong is just unstoppable. Adding to her long list of accolades, the 6-foot-2-inch star has earned the Associated Press National Player of the Week honors following her dominant performances in the Huskies’ first two games, where she dropped 21 points and 10 rebounds while adding five assists against the No. 22-ranked Louisville Cardinals and 21 points, nine rebounds, and four assists against the Florida State Seminoles.

Her standout performances just make her impossible to ignore, as just a few days ago, the BIG EAST recognized Strong as the Player of the Week, marking the fourth time in her career she has earned that honor.

However, as Sarah Strong and the Huskies aim for the championship title, they’ll need to rise to meet the bar that Geno Auriemma has set high when it comes to expectations from them in offense as well as defense.

As the season continues, which team are you rooting for this year? Let us know in the comments!