Saturday night’s game at XL Center was one for the books. The No. 4 UConn Huskies, with Paige Bueckers leading the charge, squared off against the No. 7 USC Trojans, starring JuJu Watkins. In a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat battle, USC pulled off a 72-70 victory. This was arguably one of the most hyped games of the 2024-25 women’s college basketball season, and it did not disappoint. However, Geno Auriemma did!

UConn was down, but not out. Bueckers, KK Arnold, Sarah Strong, and Shade went on a 10-0 run, cutting the deficit to six. With Bueckers heating up in the second half, the Huskies grabbed their first lead at 65-64 with 4:30 left on the clock.

The Huskies came into this game with a dominant record over USC, winning all three of their previous matchups, including a victory in last year’s NCAA Tournament Elite 8. But things didn’t go according to plan this time. The Huskies struggled right from the start, especially in the first half, and found themselves trailing for most of the game. Despite their past success, they couldn’t shake off the slow start and spent the rest of the game chasing the Trojans closely.

However, when KK Arnold was subbed off, it changed the tides of the game. Moreover, the decision rubbed fans off in a wrong way and they were quick to react to it too!

Fans angered by the poor strategic choices of Geno Auriemma

“This loss is on Geno,” wrote one user. Arnold had been playing well, contributing significantly to UConn’s comeback, yet Geno Auriemma decided to pull her off the court. This move left fans scratching their heads, as Arnold was clearly in a rhythm and giving UConn much-needed momentum.

KK Arnold was one of UConn’s best defenders during that critical stretch, especially when it came to containing USC’s JuJu Watkins. One fan rightly pointed out, “Geno you really need to sub a bit more, especially the girls who helped you get back in the game,”. Arnold was pressuring Watkins hard, forcing her into tough situations to help the Huskies climb back into the game.

Subbing out your key defenders, particularly those who helped you regain momentum, raised concerns that the coach might have underestimated the impact of maintaining that defensive aggression late in the game.

Another netizen questioned, “Why didn’t KK play in the end? UConn has to start these games a lot better.” In 21 minutes, she was effective on defense, limiting USC’s key players. Despite only scoring 5 points, her presence on the court helped UConn crawl back into the game. UConn struggled to start strong—shooting 43.5% from the field overall, including just 26.1% from three. With Arnold’s defensive ability, keeping her in the game longer could’ve helped them keep the Trojans under pressure and possibly secure a win. The Trojans jumped out to a quick 9-point lead in the first quarter, catching UConn off guard.

“Why was KK not in??? They blew it in the last two minutes…. Geno’s substitutions are terrible.” Wrote another user, clearly frustrated with Coach Geno. Arnold’s knack for disrupting offenses, especially her perimeter defense and ability to pressure players like USC’s JuJu Watkins, could have been crucial. Despite a reduced role this season, she has excelled with higher efficiency, fewer turnovers, and more rebounds.

Arnold’s defensive ability is a major asset for UConn, and leaving her out during the final minutes was questionable, while was disruptive on both ends of the floor. Another fan pointed out, “Having KK sit in the 4th quarter was a mistake smh“. Arnold’s ability to lock down players like JuJu Watkins was key in keeping the Trojans at bay. With UConn trailing by 1, having her in for those final minutes could’ve made a difference, especially with the game tied and pressure mounting. Her energy could’ve helped UConn close out stronger.

What do you think of Coach’s decision? Let us know in the comments below.