What once was – a phrase commonly used to express sentiment for something that existed in the past but is no longer present or the same, often evoking feelings of reflection on the passage of time.
For the last four years, Jim Flanery’s Creighton Bluejays have acted as the UConn women’s basketball team’s top competition in Big East play.
Five of the last seven meetings between the two have been ranked matchups – the last two of which to decide the Big East regular- and postseason championships on national television. Creighton’s core of Lauren Jensen, Morgan Maly and Molly Mogensen developed into one of the league’s best by the end of 2024 and gave the Huskies a headache inducing three quarter fight last February in Omaha.
But they’re gone, each having exhausted their college eligibility, and so is the Bluejays’ once regular spot in the AP Top 25. Creighton’s 7-9 (3-4) start, punctuated by losses to Northern Iowa (at home) and UNLV, matches its worst since the 2020-21 season.
Top-ranked UConn (16-0, 7-0) won’t do the reeling ‘Jays any favors on Sunday. The Huskies, riding a 32-game win streak into Omaha, have won their first eight Big East games by an average of 41.6 points.
Below are storylines to watch for UConn and an opponent profile of Creighton.
Storylines to Watch for No. 1 Connecticut (16-0, 7-0)
Rebounding: Connecticut finished with under 20 rebounds in a game for the first time this season against St. John’s on Wednesday, recording just 19 boards in the 45-point win.
UConn’s season high 44 rebounds against Louisville was the high watermark for Geno Auriemma’s squad, which hasn’t matched the 40-board mark since. The Huskies rank outside the top 130 in offensive rebounding (12.4 per game) and top 170 in defensive rebounding (24.9) and were outmuscled on the glass by Iowa 34-25 last month.
More production from Serah Williams, who’s made hay in Storrs as a premier shot blocker and defender, is needed if the Huskies are to contend on the glass with the nation’s top frontcourts come March.
Creighton is a good place to start. The ‘Jays rank outside the top 280 on the defensive glass and have surrendered nearly 28 defensive boards per night through 16 games.
Turnovers: It’s been better, especially since KK Arnold’s return from a nasal fracture last week. Auriemma’s long-winded criticisms of his team’s turnover problem pit the Huskies 15th in the country in turnover percentage (14.5) and 20th in turnovers per game (12.5).
Still, there’s room for improvement. The Huskies’ season-high 20-turnover performance against Providence on New Year’s Eve was followed up with 17 against Seton Hall on Jan. 3. Connecticut has turned the ball over at least 15 times on three other occasions, including 16 times during Michigan’s comeback attempt in November.
Much like rebounding, shoring up a turnover problem is vital for success come March, just ask Auriemma.
Opponent Scout: Creighton Bluejays (7-9, 3-4)
The 34 points scored per game by Maly and Jensen last year have been redistributed amongst four double-digit scorers this season.
Ava Zediker (12.8), Neleigh Gessert (12.7), Kennedy Townsend (12) and Kiani Lockett (10) comprise the bulk of the Bluejays’ 69.9 points per game, with only four other players averaging over two baskets per night.
Townsend and Lockett were mainstays in last year’s rotation and have experience in Flanery’s 3-point oriented offensive system. Lockett’s struggles from behind the line, where she shoots a moribund 7.7%, have limited the senior from maxing out her offensive ceiling.
Zediker and Gessert, two freshmen on all-conference watch, lead the team in most statistical categories and have proven to be Flanery’s go-to offensive options through one half of the season.
Exploiting Creighton’s lack of a post presence will be paramount for a Husky team that finished with just 19 rebounds in the 45-point drubbing of St. John’s on Wednesday. The ‘Jays rank 352nd in paint points and 312th in defensive rebound rate.