What Went Wrong in UConn WBB's Final Four Loss

TAMPA, FL -- For the third straight season, UConn women’s basketball’s season met a bitter end in the Final Four. And just like last year, the Huskies were eliminated by archrival Notre Dame, 81-76, adding to the sting of the loss.

But unlike last year, this loss wasn’t on a buzzer-beater. UConn lead by nine with 7:42 remaining and it felt like the Huskies were more likely to run away with the win than blow it.

But in the end, the latter happened. And Geno Auriemma didn’t think the reasons were too complex in the immediate aftermath of the game about why Notre Dame won.

“We just weren't good enough tonight to do it,” he said. “I mean, it's not anything other than they were just better than us tonight. They were better than us when the season started and they were better than us tonight. They had more good players play better and contribute more than we did. That's just the way the world is. They deserved to win, and we didn't do quite enough to win. That's it.”

So exactly happened for UConn to be outplayed by Notre Dame? Let’s take a look:

No Killer Instinct

UConn didn’t bury Notre Dame when given the chance. In the first half, the Fighting Irish started an abysmal 2-14 from the field. What did the Huskies do to take advantage? Not much. During that span, UConn built just a nine-point lead which dwindled down to four by the end of the quarter.

The Huskies were phenomenal defensively in the first half, limiting a Notre Dame team that averages 89.1 points per game -- tops in the nation -- to just 29 after 20 minutes. And yet, UConn only led by one point going into the break.

“Against a team like Notre Dame, you only get so many chances and you need to capitalize at every one of your chances. When we played them at their place, we did. When we played them here tonight, we didn't,” Auriemma said. “The first half, you can't defend them any better than we defended them that first half.

“That should have been a 15-point game at halftime.”

In the fourth quarter, after going up nine thanks to a Napheesa Collier layup, it seemed like the Huskies had the game in the bag, even with over seven minutes left. But UConn gave Notre Dame the slightest opening and the Irish pounced.

UConn didn’t put Notre Dame away, a pattern this season. That showed when they nearly lost a 24-point lead to Buffalo. It showed when they nearly collapsed against Louisville in the final minute. It showed all season long when they would be up big going into halftime against a weak opponent and struggle in the third quarter.

The Huskies weren’t short on chances to put Notre Dame away. But at every turn, UConn failed and it ended up costing the season.

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Offensive Rebounding

One of UConn’s biggest deficiencies this season was its lack of size and rebounding issues. The Huskies struggled on the offensive glass, especially in the NCAA Tournament. They gave up 21, 25, 19 and 11 offensive rebounds, respectively, in the first four games of the tournament.

Against Notre Dame, UConn allowed 22 offensive rebounds which turned into 22 Irish points. There were times Notre Dame would get not only a second chance, but a third, fourth and even fifth opportunity before finally converting.

“No, I don’t think it was their size. I know how big they are,” Collier said after the game.

Of course, Notre Dame is phenomenal on the offensive glass with the likes of Jessica Shepard and Brianna Turner, who snagged 13 combined offensive boards on their own. But UConn didn’t have any answer. Freshman Olivia Nelson-Ododa, the tallest player on the Huskies, grabbed five rebounds in 15 minutes but didn’t see the floor after the 5:49 mark in the fourth quarter.

Against a team like Notre Dame that is already so dangerous offensively, the Huskies couldn’t afford to give the Irish so many extra chances. Yet UConn did and the Irish made them pay dearly.

Notre Dame’s Stars Outplay UConn’s

As Auriemma noted, “they were just better than us tonight.” That statement included both the teams’ performances as well as the stars.

When Notre Dame needed a big shot, they could turn to Arike Ogunbowale, the hero of last year’s NCAA Tournament, who came alive with 14 points along with tough shot after tough shot in the fourth quarter. The Huskies didn’t respond.

“We tried to stop her and make plays of her own but that’s not what happened,” Collier said.

Collier, Crystal Dangerfield and Samuelson all missed shots they usually make. Those shots would have drastically changed the complexity of the game, cutting it to a one-possession game instead of two. UConn executed the offense but just couldn’t get the ball in the hoop.

“The shots we got were pretty much the shots we wanted to get,” Auriemma said. “When was the last time you saw Lou miss a wide-open layup in the line? Or Napheesa air ball a seven-footer? Probably hasn't done that in four years.”

In the final minutes of the game, Notre Dame proved why they’re the defending national champions. And UConn showed why it came up short of the title three years in a row.

“They still had to win it. They still had to make those shots,” Auriemma said of Notre Dame. “When they were down nine, they could have missed the next five shots, we would have went up 17, but they didn't. Why? Because they're defending national champions, they have five All-Americans who are really, really good.”