UConn's KK Arnold Shares Secret to Preseason Surge
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When UConn steps on the court for its season opener against Louisville, it won’t be just the offense or star power that the world will discuss. Two exhibition games into the preseason, the defending national champions look like a team reinventing itself from the ground up.
After the game against Southern Connecticut State, KK Arnold revealed the “focal point” of the Huskies' reinvention.
“Yeah, I feel like that's our big focal point for our team, being the aggressor on defense,” Arnold said. “That will create more of our transition game and more of our offensive game, as it really starts our energy on that end as well. I feel like that’s just been the biggest focal point in practice and translating into the game, our defensive pressure.”
And that is not just talk. The Huskies' two exhibition matches against Boston College and Southern Connecticut State have shown that they are locked in terms of defense. In their 105-39 rout over Southern Connecticut, they forced 32 turnovers, nearly double their 2024 season average, and had 24 steals.
we love a defense ➡️ offense moment pic.twitter.com/CZsQi0PjSP
— UConn Women’s Basketball (@UConnWBB) October 27, 2025
Arnold alone had six steals. Every loose ball was hers to win. When she set the tone, the rest followed. “Being the aggressor” was quite literally UConn’s new identity. Meanwhile, against BC, the Huskies scored 29 points off turnovers, using pressure to dismantle a veteran ACC opponent.
Their steal rate looked closer to last year’s championship peak, when they averaged 11.4 a night. However, what’s truly striking this season isn’t the numbers but how the Huskies are doing it. The team has been rotating seamlessly, talking on switches, and closing out faster than last season’s championship squad.
The defensive chemistry that coach Geno Auriemma called “quiet” without Paige Bueckers and Kaitlyn Chen’s voices is now back through players like Arnold, Azzi Fudd, Sarah Strong, and Serah Williams.
Why UConn’s Defense Could Be Even Scarier This Season
Last year, the championship squad was built on offense. They had a steady stream of Fudd’s shooting and Bueckers’ playmaking. However, there were subtle cracks in the interior defense, low scoring from the bench, and a lack of rebounding. That now stands changed.
The last exhibition match saw 13 players get on court, and all of them scored. In fact, 48 points were made off the bench. With Williams’ physicality anchoring the paint and the guards swarming the perimeter, UConn’s structure is more balanced.
The Owls’ 39 points were the lowest any UConn opponent has scored since 2023, and that number speaks as loudly as Arnold’s quote. Fast-break points have become their calling card with 25 against Southern Connecticut alone.
Azzi Fudd ➡️ Serah Williams. 🤝 #HoophallU https://t.co/CD194j4pFV pic.twitter.com/S4EytzQNCn
— University of Hoophall (@hoophallu) October 13, 2025
When Arnold or Shade pokes a ball loose, it often ends with Fudd or Ziebell finishing at the rim. Freshman Blanca Quiñonez, who scored 12 off the bench, played with the same bite, helping sustain pressure deep into the rotation.
Additionally, in the BC match, UConn held the Eagles to just 35% from the field. The Huskies did not let Boston score more than 19 points in any quarter, and UConn forced them into 18 turnovers and had 21 fast-break points.
UConn’s backcourt, led by Arnold and Ashlynn Shade, combined for four steals and countless deflections, setting the tone for the team’s defensive identity. Even with rotations deep into the bench, UConn’s defensive intensity didn’t dip. They finished with 14 steals and 6 blocks, extending their pressure for a full 40 minutes.
Right now, the UConn team that looks less like it’s easing into a season and more like it’s setting the standard for it. And with Louisville waiting in the Armed Forces Classic, it’s clear the Huskies aren’t just defending a title. They might just be redefining how they intend to win it again.
-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.