Playing a lower-ranked team before the postseason is usually a good chance to rest your starters, right? Well, maybe not for Geno Auriemma– he doesn’t do it like the other teams! He seeks perfection and he does that by scheduling non-conference games against the championship contenders! Which obviously has its own merits!

Instead of taking it easy, the Huskies stepped into two of the toughest arenas in college basketball, facing off against Tennessee and South Carolina, both projected top seeds in the NCAA Tournament. Coming away with a 1-1 record, Geno Auriemma now has a clear picture of his team’s strengths and the areas that need fine-tuning before the postseason battle begins!

But starting next season, things won’t be as easy for the Huskies. With the Big East expanding from an 18-game to a 20-game schedule, squeezing in these high-stakes non-conference matchups will be a real challenge.

Auriemma didn’t exactly sound thrilled when asked about the Big East increasing to 20 conference games next season. With fewer openings for marquee non-conference matchups, “When we go to 20 conference games next year, will it be as easy as it has been to fill in this many non-conference games of the magnitude that we had this year? … Certainly, it’s going to get a little more difficult and some decisions are going to have to be made about where you go.”

Next season, UConn will have room for nine non-conference games plus a multi-team event, like the Baha Mar Championship or Cayman Islands Classic from recent years. So far, six games have already been decided according to various sources, home games against Tennessee and Ohio State, road trips to USF and USC, and two big neutral-site battles to Louisville in the Armed Forces Classic and Iowa in the Champions Classic.

Auriemma understands that squeezing in matchups against powerhouse teams like South Carolina, who they have battled for 11 straight seasons will be much tougher with the expanded conference schedule. But that’s a problem for the future. Right now, all eyes are on this season and the challenges ahead. So, let’s dive into who the Huskies are facing next!

What’s next for Auriemma and the Huskies?

The Huskies travel to Indianapolis to face the Butler Bulldogs on 22nd February. Bulldogs have lost 3 of their last 5 games and have a 5-11 conference record. As a result, the Huskies go into the game as huge favorites with ESPN giving them a 99% chance of winning!

With the regular season winding down, this game is another perfect opportunity for Auriemma to rest his star players. Even in their dominant win over Seton Hall, key players like Paige and Azzi, who played nearly 35 minutes against South Carolina, were limited to around 27 minutes!

With players like KK Arnold and Ashlynn Shade already getting a lot of minutes from the bench, don’t be surprised if Allie Zebel and Qadence Samuels get their share of minutes against the Bulldogs!

While Auriemma faces challenges fitting big non-conference matchups into the schedule next season, his primary focus remains on the present. With postseason preparation in full swing, the Huskies are gearing up for what’s ahead! Stay tuned for more updates