UConn's Geno Auriemma Questions if Serah Williams' Surge is Real
In this story:
The UConn Huskies' march through the 2025–26 season has rarely looked uncertain.
The Huskies entered the Big East Tournament undefeated as the No. 1 seed. Their quarterfinal at Mohegan Sun Arena followed that UConn consistency with the Huskies taking down Georgetown 84–39 to move into the semifinals.
After Georgetown briefly took a 4–0 lead, UConn responded with a 22–1 run that never allowed the Hoyas back into the contest. By halftime, UConn had built a 47–18 lead, and the gap only widened in the second half. And as always, the Huskies' stars were brilliant.
KK Arnold added 12 points, Sarah Strong finished with 11 points and six steals, and Azzi Fudd chipped in 10. However, one player took everyone by surprise, finishing with 14 points on 7-of-8 shooting while adding seven rebounds, three steals, and two blocks.
And that player is none other than Serah Williams. Williams transferred from Wisconsin earlier this season, and adjusting to a new role and system has not been easy. So, this breakout performance raises the obvious question: Is this the start of something bigger?
Interestingly, that uncertainty is exactly what head coach Geno Auriemma is still trying to figure out. Auriemma has seen plenty of matches where Williams has had occasional scoring bursts; however, consistency has remained an issue.
Answering, if this was the start of the William’s arc, Auriemma said, “24 hours from now, we’ll be in the middle, or we’ll just be going into another game. We’ll be playing, right? I think it’s a 2:30 game tomorrow. So when I’m talking to you tomorrow after the game, we’ll have a better idea. You know, I always expect the best out of everybody, but I’m always prepared for the worst, just in case. So, like I tell the players, once is an accident, twice is a coincidence. Her last game was against St. John’s, right? And now this one’s another really good one, right? So tomorrow we’ll know whether it’s a coincidence or a trend.”
The numbers show why the question is worth asking. In UConn’s final regular-season game against St. John’s, Williams delivered 11 points, six rebounds, and three assists in just 20 minutes. She followed it up against Georgetown with her most efficient performance of the season. However, her season has been uneven.
Since transferring from Wisconsin, where she averaged 19.2 points per game last year, she has had to adjust to a different pace, different expectations, and a deeper roster. At times, her role has been limited with fluctuating minutes and scoring totals. Even so, the underlying production has always been there.
Williams has produced several efficient outings this season, including 12 points against Tennessee, 11 against Notre Dame, and another 12 in an early matchup with Georgetown. This new shift, however, Auriemma believes may be mental.
“I’m hoping, and I think based on what I’ve seen the last four or five days, it could be a trend. But just having a five-minute conversation with her about, you know, this is your last hurrah. This is what people are going to remember about you when they evaluate you for where you’re going next. What kind of impact can you have in this tournament? ..She’s a really nice kid, and I think the pressure of playing here obviously is immense for somebody who hasn’t grown up in the program. So you can tell how happy she is when it finally comes together for her,” added Auriemma.
For Williams, the moment may finally be arriving.
Serah Williams’ “Coincidence or a Trend” Test Arrives Soon
The answer to Auriemma’s question could come very soon. UConn now faces No. 5 seed Creighton in the Big East Tournament semifinal at 2:30 p.m. The Huskies have officially begun the pursuit of their 31st conference tournament title and 12th straight conference championship.
The Huskies are 14-0 all-time against Creighton and beat the Bluejays 94–44 earlier this season in Storrs. For Williams, this moment is bigger than just another match.
As Williams herself puts it, “It was just definitely special. You know, it's a new team, a new experience. Usually by now my seasons in the past have been over, so I’m definitely just taking advantage and trying to have fun with it.”
-fd44250df32912986cc6690f0b8bfa32.png "Shivani Menon")
Shivani Menon is a sports journalist with a background in Mass Communication and a passion for storytelling. She has written for EssentiallySports, College Sports Network, and PFSN, covering Olympic sports like track and field, gymnastics, and alpine skiing, as well as college football, basketball, March Madness, and the NBL Draft. When she's not reporting, she's either on the road chasing sunsets or getting lost in the rhythms of electronic soundscapes.