UConn Women's Basketball: One Glaring Issue From Loss to Michigan

On Thursday, the No. 2-ranked UConn Huskies women's basketball team suffered a 77-66 loss against No. 5 Michigan on the road in Ann Arbor.

On the surface, it's surprising to see UConn lose, ever, but Michigan deserves some credit. The Wolverines are No. 5, were playing at home and got to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament last year. They are a good program and are fully capable of pulling off a big win.

So, I'm not so much surprised that Michigan won, I'm surprised at how they won. I'm not so much surprised that UConn lost, I'm surprised at how they lost.

And for me, it would be easier to stomach if this were just about missed shots that didn't go in, but it's not. I am genuinely questioning the way in which the Huskies played, and style of play is a much bigger issue because it gets into the mindset and psyche of a team.

So, let's go back a little bit.

On Oct. 12, UConn opened up exhibition play against the Syracuse Orange. I was there at Mohegan Sun Arena. The Huskies went just 3-of-22 from 3-point range, and while the performance was easy to write off because it was the first exhibition game, it stuck with me.

A few weeks later, I wrote that my biggest question for this team was "how would they perform from beyond the arc in the wake of Azzi Fudd's graduation?"

Well, that question was prevalent again in this loss. UConn went just 8-for-31, just 26 percent. Making eight 3's is a good thing, don't get me wrong. In fact, Michigan only made nine, so the teams were largely even there. The difference? Michigan made their nine in only 20 shots, whereas UConn needed 31. That's 11 more 3's taken by the Huskies that resulted in misses. How many of those misses led to transition buckets on the other end? Led to defensive rebounds that led to transition opportunities that led to Huskies fouls?

Right now, I just don't think this team is good enough from beyond the arc to be dependent on it. 

And that leads to the other side of the coin.

Michigan got to the foul line 24 times, making 14 of them. UConn got to the foul line seven times, making just four of them.

That's a 10-point difference in an 11-point game. That's your ballgame, right there.

When you are living at the three-point line, you are not getting into the lane and creating enough opportunities at the rim, and that's a tough way to live.

And here's the thing: Even despite playing this way, the Huskies still had 36 points in the paint, the same as the Wolverines. There was a decided advantage inside, even despite Sarah Strong's foul trouble, but UConn just declined to use it enough.

KK Arnold had the ability to get inside. Olivia Vukosa and Blanca Quinonez had the ability to do things in the paint, as did Strong when she was on the floor.

Rather than live with the three, the Huskies should have been willing to double down on their efforts inside. Get to the paint. Live at the rim. Go up strong, and get to the line.

That could have changed the complexion of this game, and moving forward, UConn should change their mindset. Hitting three's is a good thing, but you can't live with it, especially when you have other strengths, clearly.

The Huskies will be back in action on Sunday afternoon (2 p.m. ET) at home against Iowa.