SEATTLE — A day before UConn was set to take on Ohio State in the Sweet 16, Huskies coach Geno Auriemma shared some prescient thoughts about what was to come.
“Not crazy about our matchup, you know,” Auriemma said. “They’re a unique team that poses unique problems, so we’ve got our hands full.”
Among those specific challenges that came Saturday was the Buckeyes’ 2-2-1 press, a unique beast that has made No. 3 seed Ohio State one of the most volatile teams in the country, but also one of the most successful — at least in spurts. When the Buckeyes are scoring and able to set their press, they can flummox even the most confident of offenses. Ohio State coach Kevin McGuff knew his players would have to bring the defensive activity against the second-seeded Huskies, who could find too many easy baskets in the half court if Ohio State allowed them to dictate a slower pace.
UConn entered the game with the eighth-best offensive rating in the nation, per Her Hoop Stats, but turnovers had been a bugaboo for the squad all year. The Huskies averaged 16.2 giveaways per game, turning the ball over on nearly 20 percent of their possessions. Even the most efficient shooting teams — Connecticut had the third-best field goal percentage in the country — can’t score if…
