Being undefeated heading into the NCAA tournament might not be as good as it seems. UConn has been the nation's most dominant force all season. Heading into March, they are the clear favorite to win it all. It is safe to assume that they will close out the regular season without a loss and hope to go all the way to the title.
Only 10 teams have won a title on an undefeated season — including six UConn Husky teams, most recently during the 2015-16 season. But there have also been 10 instances in which teams entered the tournament undefeated and came up short of the title. Being seemingly invincible can add an extra level of pressure that not all teams can survive.
Going against a dominant team can make the underdog feel like they have nothing to lose. This happened back in 1998 when No. 1 Stanford was upset in the first round by No. 16 Harvard. While Stanford was technically not undefeated, they had gone into the tournament as favorites. And just to make the story more interesting, that 1998 Harvard team was led by legend Allison Feaster, who happens to be Sarah Strong's mother.
All that to ask: Would you rather go into the tournament undefeated or having faced some adversity in your loss column? You can never write any team off heading into March. UConn might not be as safe as everyone thinks. Here are the teams that have the pieces to take them down.
Michigan
This might be a ridiculous longshot but the Wolverines are the only team this season to really give the Huskies a run for their money. This matchup was all the way back in November and ended with a 72-69 UConn victory. This game looked over at the half with UConn leading 45-27, but Michigan was able to claw its way back, holding UConn to only 4 points in the third quarter.
Seemingly, Michigan just turned it on and shifted its defensive strategy a little too late. If they were to meet up with UConn again, in the tournament, I think it'd be another close one. We all know UConn is a scoring team. This season, they're leading the nation, shooting 52.9 percent from the field. But even their shooting struggled against Michigan, at only 38 percent from the floor — their worst numbers of the season.
Although Azzi Fudd did show out in this game, scoring 31 points. That's most likely where Michigan would need to start, with shutting Fudd down. Even just allowing her less than 20 points could work, especially with the scorers on Michigan's side. The whole team has stepped up its scoring, shooting 51.9 percent from the floor in February. Olivia Olson has had seven straight 20+ point performances. Syla Swords has been reliable all season long. But they'll need help from their teammates, like Mila Holloway, who has stepped it up in some close games.
Bringing UConn down to the wire in the regular season will give Michigan an advantage against other top teams in the tournament. It also makes them one of UConn's biggest threats, especially if Michigan can keep the energy they brought in the second half of their first matchup through the whole game this time.
UCLA
With UCLA sitting at No. 2 in the rankings and only having one loss on the season, they feel like an obvious choice for this list. When you look at the number of stars on each of these squads, you have to think that it'd be a close matchup. UCLA could set a record for the number of players it could have drafted in the upcoming WNBA Draft. And UConn has potential No. 1 overall pick, Azzi Fudd, and a frontrunner for National Player of the Year in Sarah Strong.
Any of these players could go off on any given night. Lauren Betts is a monster in-the-paint. I think it will be a tough challenge for any UConn player, like Serah Williams, to battle under the basket with her. UCLA also has one of the best all-around scorers in Gianna Kneepkens. Kneepkens is shooting 46.1 percent from beyond the arc. Gabriela Jaquez is also an elite shooter, shooting 41.6 percent from three. While UConn has good defenders who can typically stop dynamic shooting guards, Kneepkens and Jaquez would make it more difficult than probably anyone the Huskies have faced this season.
South Carolina
This is the first time in years that we have not gotten a South Carolina-UConn regular-season matchup. I think both of these squads would have loved the challenge of seeing each other, but I also think it will make their potential tournament matchup even more electric.
I would have felt a lot more comfortable putting South Carolina on this list if Chloe Kitts were healthy and playing in this tournament. But honestly, I think what could potentially make South Carolina a threat to UConn in the tournament is not their under-the-basket play, but instead how they choose to play from beyond the arc. Their lack of three-point attempts is one of their biggest weaknesses. But they have some absolute elite shooters on their squad. Tessa Johnson, for example, shoots 45.8 percent from three. She just had a massive night against LSU, scoring 21 points and shooting 4-of-5 from three.
There's no doubt that South Carolina wants to beat UConn after falling to them twice last season, including an 82-59 loss in the 2025 NCAA Championship. But I also think they do have the ability to defeat the Huskies if they use their tools wisely enough. UConn's defense is good; they allow the least amount of points per game in the nation. South Carolina will need a gameplan that utilizes their physicality but sprinkles in some more three-point shot making.