No. 1 seed UConn women’s basketball vs. No. 8 St. John’s

Geno Auriemma doesn’t believe his UConn team has played its best basketball yet, but there’s no better time for that moment to arrive than March. The Huskies kick off postseason play Saturday at noon, when they take on No. 8 St. John’s in the Big East women’s basketball tournament quarterfinals. They previous beat the 8-14 Red Storm twice this season by an average margin of 38.5 points. Here’s what you need to know about the match up:

The basics

Site: Mohegan Sun Arena

Time: Noon

Series: UConn leads, 43-17

Last meeting: No. 1 UConn 77, St. John’s 32 in Queens, New York, Feb. 17, 2021

TV: FS1 (Kim Adams, John Fanta) Radio: The River 105.9

St. John’s probable starters, sixth man:

Unique Drake, G, 5-7, So.; Leilani Correa, G, 6-0, So.; Kadaja Bailey, G, 6-0, Jr.; Rayven Peeples, F, 6-3, Jr.; Raven Farley, F, 6-4, Sr.; Emma Nolan, F, 6-1, So.

UConn probable starters, sixth man:

Christyn Williams, G, 5-11, Jr.; Olivia Nelson-Ododa, F, 6-5, Jr.; Evina Westbrook, G, 6-0, R-Jr.; Nika Muhl, G, 5-10, Fr.; Paige Bueckers, G, 5-11, Fr.; Aaliyah Edwards, F, 6-3, Fr.

The matchup

UConn’s offense: The Huskies are the top-scoring offense in the league (82.6 points per game on 51.5 percent shooting) with Bueckers leading the way at 19.8 points per game. Edwards, the reigning Big East freshman of the week, has averaged 16.3 points on 83.3 percent shooting and 9.3 rebounds across UConn’s last three games. Nelson-Ododa is also coming off a double double (19 points, 10 rebounds) against Marquette.

UConn’s defense: Also the best unit in the league: It has allowed opponents to score an average of 52 points per game on 33.9 percent shooting — only one team all year (Arkansas) has managed over 70 points against them. The Huskies also own a +11.6 edge on the boards, with only Marquette (+9.2) higher than +4.0.

St. John’s offense: The Red Storm average 64.1 points on 43.2 percent shooting with Correa leading the way with 18.1 points per game. Back on Feb. 17, UConn held St. John’s to 29 percent shooting and forced 21 turnovers as Williams’ stellar defense helped limit Correa to two points.

St. John’s defense: St. John’s allows 67.4 points per game on 42.4 percent shooting — not one of the stronger defenses in the league. Against UConn this season, those numbers have been 85.5 and 58.6 percent. The last time UConn faced St. John’s, the Huskies faced little resistance

from the Red Storm’s defense. UConn shot 65 percent from the field, the program’s best clip since March 2018.

UConn keys: Start strong; move on offense; rebound; contain Correa; push pace and get out in transition.

Player to watch: Anna Makurat (right leg stress fracture) will be available for the first time since late January, though it’s unclear what sort of playing time she’ll see upon her return.

About St. John’s coach: Since arriving at St. John’s ahead of the 2012-13 season, Joe Tartamella compiled a 162-100 record going into this year. Prior to the cancellation of the 2020 postseason, St. John’s was likely to earn a seventh postseason appearance in the last eight years — three of those being trips to the NCAA Tournament.

St. John’s mascot: Johnny Thunderbird.

Famous alumni: Hall of Fame basketball coach Lou Carnesecca, former New York governor Mario Cuomo, rapper J. Cole.

Alexa Philippou can be reached at aphilippou@courant.com