WOMEN’S BASKETBALL GAMEDAY
No. 3 TEXAS at No. 6 UCONN
When: Monday, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Gampel Pavilion
Records: UConn (1-0, Big East), Texas (1-0, Big 12)
TV: FS1, UConn Sports Network
Radio: WGCH 1490 AM (Greenwich), WAVZ 1300 AM (New Haven), WATR 1320 AM (Waterbury)
KEEP AN EYE ON
Does Ducharme return?: Caroline Ducharme sat out both UConn’s exhibition game and season opener due to neck stiffness. While the days off gave the sophomore some muchneeded rest, her presence on the court will be needed against the Longhorns. Without Ducharme, the Huskies have just one true backup guard available in point guard Inês Bettencourt.
Lou’s revenge game: Lou Lopez Sénéchal’s career at Fairfield ended at the hands of the Longhorns last March when Texas defeated the Stags 70-52 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The then-Fairfield senior finished with 17 points (the second-highest of any scorer and lead on the Stags), a team-high five rebounds and two steals in 30 minutes. She likely would have played the whole game had she not sat out the whole second quarter receiving stitches after getting hit in the mouth in the opening frame. Expect the grad transfer to come out strong on Monday against the Longhorns.
First big test: After running past both Kutztown (exhibition) and Northeastern (season opener) quite effortlessly, the Huskies will face their biggest test of the year against Texas. The Longhorns are bigger than UConn, with six players 6foot-2 or taller, and also have depth on the bench. Monday will be the first chance to see which Huskies rise to the occasion and step up to lead when needed. Without Paige Bueckers, the role is up for grabs. Will Nika Mühl take charge as the team’s new point guard? Or will Azzi Fudd carry the team’s offense?
Swin Cash honored: UConn will honor former Husky great Swin Cash prior to Monday night’s tip-off as the program will officially retire her No. 32 up in the rafter of Gampel Pavilion. Cash becomes the second former women’s basketball player to have her number retired, joining Rebecca Lobo’s No. 50 (Ray Allen (34) is the only other former UConn basketball player to have their number retired). Cash was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in September.
What to know about Texas: The Longhorns entered the season at No. 3 in the AP top 25 poll — their highest ranking to start the season since starting at No. 2 in 2017-18. Last year, Texas reached the Elite Eight for the third-straight year before falling to then-No. 2 Stanford 59-50. UConn is 8-0 all-time against the Longhorns, with the teams’ last meeting on Jan. 15, 2018 (UConn won 75-79). The Longhorns enter Monday’s meeting after defeating Louisiana 68-45 Friday.
Texas welcomed a familiar Big East face to its roster this offseason when DePaul’s Sonya Morris transferred to the Longhorns’ program for her fifth year of eligibility. Morris finished her career with the Blue Devils ranked No. 9 all-time with 1,668 career points. She was a finalist for the Ann Meyers Drysdale award both of the past two seasons. Texas defeated DePaul (105-62) in an exhibition game on Oct. 30.
The 2022-23 season also marks Vic Schaefer’s third year leading Texas after leading Mississippi State from 2012-2020. So far in Austin, Texas, Schaefer has led the program to an overall record of 50-17. The last time Geno Auriemma coached against Schaefer? In the 2017 Final Four, when Mississippi State beat UConn 66-64 in overtime ending UConn’s chances at a fifth-straight national championship run.