UConn’s struggles this season have sent ripples through the basketball world, prompting tough questions about the state of the Big East and the future of the program. For years, the Huskies have been a dominant force, with Geno Auriemma at the helm, leading them to countless championships. However, as UConn’s recent performances falter, the cracks in their conference’s foundation have become hard to ignore.

The Big East, once a powerhouse in women’s college basketball, has seen a decline in competitive intensity, and now, fans and analysts are calling for accountability. A post by national scout EJayArrow on X captured the sentiment, stating, “I wish the Big East was a more competitive conference to prep UConn for a deep run in the NCAA Tourney. The level of competition doesn’t even come close to that of the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, Big 12, etc.”

Such words have stirred a conversation about the current state of UConn’s conference. One X (formerly Twitter) user, Olivia Pope, co-host of ‘The Best Damn W Show’, weighed in, saying, “Which is nuts because when I was growing up the Big East was one of the more competitive conferences. Cheers to realignment of conferences lol.”

The reality is hard to ignore—while UConn’s dominance once felt inevitable, the landscape has shifted. With the SEC, ACC, and Big Ten stacking up in recent years, UConn’s competition within the Big East has become less daunting, leading to questions about whether the Huskies are truly being tested as they were in the past.

Geno Auriemma faces growing pressure as UConn’s Big East dominance fades

Fans have expressed their frustration on social media, with many pointing out the discrepancy between UConn’s historically tough competition and their current conference foes. One fan lamented, “Facts, Big East was supposed to be the basketball conference, well for men’s facts, but the old UConn rosters used to whoop on everybody—it didn’t matter. Now, Geno doesn’t control the market like he once did.” With UConn ranked no 7 in the AP top 25 rankings, there is a growing sense that the competition within the Big East no longer holds the same weight, especially when compared to other major conferences.

Yet, some UConn supporters argue that Geno Auriemma has taken steps to counter the challenges posed by the lack of competition within the conference. “That’s why we schedule one of the top strongest non-conference schedules and also why we mix in big games in Jan and Feb,” another fan pointed out. Auriemma’s decision to schedule tough matchups outside the Big East aims to give his team the exposure it needs to remain competitive at the national level, despite the lack of testing from within the conference.

In fact, UConn currently has one of the most efficient games ever. In just 16 games, the Huskies have a field goal percentage of 50.30%, ranking them No. 2 in the entire NCAA.

Still, there are others who don’t see these efforts as enough to overcome the current situation. “Big East and to a large extent the ACC are such jokes of a conference,” a fan commented, highlighting how far both conferences have fallen in comparison to others. The feeling is that UConn’s regular-season struggles could be a direct result of the lack of competitive games within their own conference, which leaves them ill-prepared for the grind of the NCAA Tournament.

In fact, UConn ranks first in the nation for assist-to-turnover ratio with an impressive 2.04 ratio, totaling 346 assists to 170 turnovers. This statistic underscores their ability to execute clean, efficient play, even if the competition within their conference is not testing them as rigorously as other teams might face.

One fan’s remark cuts deep: “Yeah, it’s been bad for the last 7-8 years.” The evidence appears to be mounting that, for all of UConn’s successes, their conference strength—and its overall relevance—has seriously waned in recent years.

There is even speculation that UConn’s schedule, while designed for strength, isn’t enough to make up for the void within the Big East. “UConn just plays the LSU schedule in reverse. Probably will still have a better SOS at the end of the year,” one fan tweeted, drawing comparisons to LSU’s stacked schedule. It suggests that while UConn may be scheduling tough opponents, it isn’t necessarily resulting in a competitive edge within the context of their own conference.

As Geno Auriemma faces mounting pressure, the stakes are high. Will he take a stand against the decline of the Big East? Or will UConn’s prestige in the women’s basketball world continue to diminish with the changing tides of college basketball? The whispers of discontent are only growing louder, and only time will tell if Auriemma and the Huskies can overcome the storm ahead.