Thursday, October 15, 2026

Doggy's UConn/Texas Preseason Game Report

 


   UConn Huskies                      VS                       Texas Longhorns   
Preseason No. 2                                                    Preseason No. 9

Monday, October 19th, 2026
Time: 7:00
PeoplesBank Arena
Hartford, CT  
TV: NBC Boston/UConn+ 

Prior Meetings

TEXAS | UCONN LEADS 10-1
 H: 2-0; A: 2-1; N: 6-0 
04/06/03 #1 UConn 71, #4 Texas 69 Atlanta, Ga. 
01/17/05 #13 UConn 73, #15 Texas 57 Hartford, Conn. 
-02/12/06 #4 UConn 71, Texas 58 Austin, Texas 
03/25/08 #1 UConn 89, Texas 55 Bridgeport, Conn. 
11/17/09 #1 UConn 83, #10 Texas 58 San Antonio, Texas
 03/28/15 #1 UConn 105, Texas 54 Albany, N.Y.
03/28/16 #1 UConn 86, #7 Texas 65 Bridgeport, Conn. 
12/04/16 #2 UConn 72, #14 Texas 54 Uncasville, Conn. 
01/15/18 #1 UConn 75, #9 Texas 71 Austin, Texas 
11/14/22 #5 UConn 83, #3 Texas 76 Storrs, Conn. 
12/03/23 #10 Texas 80, #11 UConn 68 Austin, Texas


Texas Longhorns


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 Game Analysis

As I said in the Syracuse report, early season games are tough to write about. Exhibition games are even more difficult  to write about. But I'll give it another go.

I was hoping that Texas had played a preseason game to give me something to go on in this matchup. No such luck. So I'm flying blind...lol.

The last time these two teams met was December 3, 2023 and it was the one and only time Texas beat the Huskies. After the loss UConn dropped to 4-3 on the season. Remember that terrible start? The only returning players from that game for UConn is KK Arnold and Ashlynn Shade. They came off the bench in this one and did ok. But it was Rori Harmon that did in UConn with 27 points and 13 assists. Maybe the best game of her career.  

One thing we can count on. Madison Booker will be the focal point of the Texas offense and the focal point of the UConn defense. Booker is back for her senior season and the next five leading scorer after Booker has either graduated or transferred. The names should be familiar if you follow WCBB. Their point guard Rori Harmon, their jack-of-all-trades Jordan Lee, their best "big" Kyle Oldacre all gone. Along with Justice Carton (Season ending injury) and  Ailiyah Crump that is 54 PPG out the door. Not to mention the leadership these players brought to Texas.

Ok, enough of the past.    

As I said Booker is back and she is a great talent. Her coach, Vic Schaeffer, says she is the best player in the country. I don't blame him for supporting her like that. However, I consider her "Sarah Strong" light. A very similar player to Strong, but Booker doesn't have the long range shot nor the defensive ability as Sarah. But she does have a nose for the basket and her pull up shot is close to impossible to defend.

Texas's problem will be to find someone to organize the offense. Booker can play a "point forward" but she is better off the ball.  Junior guard Bryanna Preston will likely play the point. She had a decend Assists/TO ratio last year but she doesn't have a ton of game experience. 

Now in her second season after transferring from Arizona, Senior Breya Cunningham is the other returning starter besides Booker. She is a handful in the post at 6'4" and a wide body. She is the second his returning scorer at 7.7 PPG and 5.6 RPG in 18.9 MPG.

Two newcomers will likely fill out the starting lineup.

Sophomore guard 6' Jayda Clark has played in the WNBL league in Australia for the past two seasons and helped the Warwick Senators to the 2026 NBL1 West Championship. She was named the 2026 Youth Player of the Year and 2026 Warwick Senators NBL1 Women’s MVP. In her last WNBL game Clark scored 36 points and connected on eight 3-pointers. I expect her, based on her experience level and outside shooting ability, to play a lot of minutes.    

The final starter is 6'2" freshman Addison Bjorn. A big guard the onetime UConn target, Bjorn is a terrific player. A solid all around player, she is known for her motor on the court. She appears to never get tired!   

Ok, so now we have by my count, 9 players on the bench. You have three returning players with little experience, two transfers and four freshmen. 

We will all learn together about this Texas team.    

UConn questions are still there. 

Will they have better luck shooting in Hartford than at Mohegan?? Couldn't be worse.

Will any of the three players that say out recovering from prior injuries be ready to play on Monday? 

Will Pop start again? For sure it depends on Blanca coming back. Or does it. I think Geno really really really likes Jovana. 

Will Sarah step up to the challenge of playing against Booker? There will be plenty of moments they are staring each other in the eyes. Two All-americans. I'm really looking forward to seeing this happen!

Texas has some size, expecially the returning big Cunningham. How will our two (three with Gandy) headed centers handle playing with real bulk.

I'm just really looking forward to seeing this team again. I'm enjoying the new players and hope Marine is available so I can see her too!    

As I scrolled through the roster for UConn, I'm just blown away by their depth. I'll make a call on if it's the deepest team ever for the Huskies. Still need to see more of the three freshmen and how much Fisher and Gandy contribute. But wow!!! 

Game Prediction

Well, another silly task. I guard now that I have looking closer at the Longhorns, I have to say, I don't see how they are No. 9 in the country. They have way too many question marks. Can the duo of Booker and Cunningham carry the team? Who will run the offense? Where will all the points come from?

It's Texas's first time against someone other than each other and maybe practice players. And playing against UConn who had a game to get acclimated to competition?? This could be tough for the Longhorns.

However, Vic always has his teams ready to play tough defense. This will be a great experience for UConn going forward. But I think the Huskies will shoot better and Texas will really struggle to score against Geno's defense. We will prosably see more pressure defense. 

I'm guessing UConn by 15+. Emphasis on the +.      
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Tuesday, October 6, 2026

Doggy's UConn vs Syracuse exhibition game pregame report

 





    UConn Huskies                                                 Syracuse Orange

Monday, October 12th, 2026
Time: 6:30
Mohegan Sun Arena
Uncasville, CT  
TV: FS2 

Prior Meetings

SYRACUSE | UCONN LEADS 42-12
 H: 20-4 | A: 16-7 | N: 6-1 

12/29/80 SU 73, UConn 68 Philadelphia, Pa. 
02/13/82 SU 86, UConn 78 Storrs, Conn. 
02/02/83 SU 90, UConn 64 Syracuse, N.Y. 
02/25/84 SU 61, UConn 56 Storrs, Conn. 
01/12/85 SU 82, UConn 61 Syracuse, N.Y. 
02/13/85 SU 74, UConn 59 Storrs, Conn. 
01/04/86 SU 68, UConn 60 Syracuse, N.Y. 
02/01/86 SU 78, UConn 72 Storrs, Conn. 
01/17/87 SU 67, UConn 52 Syracuse, N.Y. 
02/18/87 UConn 52, SU 49 Storrs, Conn. 
01/20/88 SU 68, UConn 54 Syracuse, N.Y. 
02/20/88 UConn 74, SU 60 Hartford, Conn. 
01/21/89 SU 77, UConn 60 Syracuse, N.Y. 
01/08/90 UConn 58, SU 42 Syracuse, N.Y. 
02/07/90 UConn 68, SU 56 Storrs, Conn. 
01/16/91 #18 UConn 65, SU 63 Syracuse, N.Y. 
02/17/91 #15 UConn 85, SU 49 Storrs, Conn. 
01/15/92 SU 68, #22 UConn 51 Storrs, Conn. 
02/15/92 UConn 83, SU 68 Syracuse, N.Y. 
01/02/93 #21 UConn 78, SU 50 Syracuse, N.Y. 
02/07/93 UConn 85, SU 54 Storrs, Conn. 
01/03/94 #4 UConn 64, SU 45 Storrs, Conn. 
02/24/94 #4 UConn 79, SU 50 Syracuse, N.Y. 
01/22/95 #1 UConn 89, SU 58 Storrs, Conn. 
02/25/95 #1 UConn 89, SU 62 Syracuse, N.Y. 
01/02/96 SU 62, #2 UConn 59 Syracuse, N.Y. 
01/07/97 #1 UConn 93, SU 67 Storrs, Conn. 
02/26/97 #1 UConn 86, SU 52 Syracuse, N.Y. 
02/01/98 #2 UConn 100, SU 62 Storrs, Conn. 
02/03/99 #4 UConn 96, SU 50 Storrs, Conn. 
02/23/99 #6 UConn 105, SU 43 Syracuse, N.Y. 
02/18/00 #1 UConn 100, SU 74 Storrs, Conn. 
01/09/01 #1 UConn 76, SU 63 Syracuse, N.Y. 
01/27/01 #2 UConn 84, SU 60 Hartford, Conn. 
02/13/02 #1 UConn 85, SU 55 Syracuse, N.Y. 
02/12/03 #1 UConn 75, SU 51 Hartford, Conn. 
02/11/04 #2 UConn 82, SU 38 Syracuse, N.Y. 
02/19/05 #11 UConn 85, SU 49 Hartford, Conn. 
03/06/05 #14 UConn 82, SU 56 Hartford, Conn. 
02/22/06 #8 UConn 65, SU 36 Syracuse, N.Y. 
01/13/07 #7 UConn 76, SU 45 Storrs, Conn. 
01/15/08 #1 UConn 65, SU 59 Syracuse, N.Y
01/17/09 #1 UConn 107, SU 53 Hartford, Conn. 
02/24/10 #1 UConn 87, SU 66 Syracuse, N.Y. 
03/07/10 #1 UConn 77, SU 41 Hartford, Conn. 
02/28/11 #1 UConn 82, SU 47 Storrs, Conn. 
01/25/12 #3 UConn 95, SU 54 Syracuse, N.Y. 
01/19/13 #3 UConn 87, SU 62 Hartford, Conn. 
03/11/13 #3 UConn 64, #24 SU 51 Hartford, Conn. 
04/05/16 #1 UConn 82, #17 SU 51 Indianapolis, Ind. 
03/20/17 #1 UConn 94, SU 64 Storrs, Conn. 
03/23/21 #1 UConn 83, SU 47 San Antonio, Texas 
03/25/24 #10 UConn 72, #22 SU 64 Storrs, Conn
3/23/26 #1 UConn 98, SU 45 Storrs, Conn.



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 Game Analysis

Early season games are tough to write about. Exhibition games, let alone the first exhibition game is impossible to write about. But I'll give it a go.

Syracuse is coming off a very good season going 24-10 for the year. They lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament to the Huskies 98-45. It was a pretty ugly game for the Orange while UConn, behind 34 point from Azzi Fudd, just breezed through the game.  

Uche Izoje, a 6'3" sophomore forward, was the leading scoere last season and clearly the best player on the team. Syracuses biggest fear was losing her to the portal but she decided to return. Uche was the ACC freshman of the year. 

That's is for starters returning. There are 4 other returning players and some will have to start this year.

Shy Hawkins, a 6' junior wing is back. She started 17 games last year and averaged 5.4 PPG and 2.2 RPG. She shot 40% from the field. 

Olivia Schmitt, a 5'5" sophomore guard returns after averaging 1.9 PPG, 1.5 APG and shot 26.6% from the field and 31.4% on threes. She started one game last season. 

Keira Scott, a 6'1" junior forward, also started one games last year. She averaged 2.6 PPG and 1.5 RPG and shot 38% from the field.  

Angelica Velez, a 5'7" senior guard, is the final returning player from last years roster. Maybe the worst shooter on a team of bad shooters, she averaged 2.2 PPG on 29% from the field and 21% on threes.

Will some of these returning players join Izoje in the starting lineup? 

They did add four freshman however, none of them are in the Hoopgurlz top 100. Who knows how much they will even play this year. Certainly will see some time in this game. I'm sure everyone on the team will see minutes.

That leaves four incoming transfers.

Ty Skinner is a 5'5" 5th year guard. She is playing in her fourth game after playing with Delaware her first two seasons, Arizona State for two seasons and then SMU last season. She was injured for two of those season. Her best year was at Arizona State when she averaged 19 PPG.

Jaleesa Molina, a 6'3" senior forward is a transfer from Temple where she played her first 3 seasons. She averaged 9.9 PPG and 7.4 RPG from the Owls.

Emely Rodriguez is a 6' junior guard. She played her freshman season at UCF and then played her sophomore season at Iowa before being injured after 6 games and missed the rest of the season. 

Sarah Rambus is a 6'3" senior forward. She is a transfer from Oregon where she played her first three seasons. Averaged career-highs in points (6.3), rebounds (2.4), and field goal percentage (53.7%) across 36 appearances as a junior.
    

Final Prediction


It's kinda silly to predict this game when the only outcome we should want is no injuries. UConn will give minutes to everyone and those still recovering in some way from injury might even sit this one out. 

But it wouldn't be a game analysis without a prediction. Here are a few.  

No one will play more than 25 minutes. Maybe less.

Strong, Arnold, Shade, El Alfy and Heckel will start.

If her ankle is ok, Ziebell will be the first player off the bench.

The three freshmen will see plenty of minutes. 

And of course a score prediction? 

UConn by a lot. 
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