The Huskies shot 52% from the field, despite the fact that Paige Bueckers had an off night with eight points (on 2-for-11 shooting). Freshman Sarah Strong dazzled with 21 points (8-of-10), while Azzi Fudd had another strong outing with 18 points before leaving early with an apparent knee injury. The Huskies' depth shined once more, with players like Kaitlyn Chen, Jana El Alfy and Ashlynn Shade also making an impact. Louisville -- which managed 33 points through the first 30 minutes -- looked so overmatched that coach Jeff Walz apologized after the game for his team's "embarrassing" performance.
Verdict: OVERREACTION
UConn could end up ranked No. 1 in the country at some point this season and looks well-positioned to end up in Tampa come April. But it would be pretty stunning to see the Huskies go undefeated the rest of the way, even against a weaker Big East this season. UConn has a gauntlet of ranked competition ahead in nonconference play, with most of those games on the road: at Notre Dame on Thursday, vs. Iowa State on Dec. 17 (neutral site), vs. USC on Dec. 21, at Tennessee on Feb. 6, and at South Carolina on Feb. 16. For as good as UConn has been, it doesn't look so invincible that it will make it through unscathed against some really stellar competition. Notre Dame, USC and South Carolina will likely be the toughest tests.
As has been the case for the past four seasons, all eyes will be on whether the Huskies can stay healthy, especially after Fudd's scare Saturday. Coach Geno Auriemma said after the game that Fudd seemed "fine" and likely avoided a worst-case scenario, but the team will know more upon returning to campus. Her status will be crucial for the Huskies not for Thursday, but for their championship aspirations. -- Alexa Philippou
Tennessee will challenge for the SEC title
We knew what to watch for in Caldwell's first season: The Lady Vols' version of "40 Minutes of Hell." Tennessee relies on both pressure defense and pressure offense, with rolling substitutions to keep players fresh.
It has worked: Tennessee is 7-0 and has forced an average of 28.3 turnovers, second in Division I to College of Charleston's 30.7. In Saturday's win over Iowa, the Lady Vols scored 42 points off 30 turnovers while allowing just four on nine turnovers. The players have bought into the style, which requires energy and teamwork. Sophomore guard Talaysia Cooper, a transfer from South Carolina, averages 20.1 PPG and 2.9 steals per game for Tennessee, which hasn't finished first in the SEC regular season since tying South Carolina in 2015.
Verdict: OVERREACTION
It's a positive start, especially with back-to-back wins over Florida State and Iowa. But the Lady Vols haven't played any opponents the caliber of the top SEC teams yet. It's one thing to force so many turnovers from Iowa in its first season after point guard Caitlin Clark graduated. That will be harder against the likes of South Carolina, LSU and Texas, top-five-caliber teams with standout guards such as Raven Johnson, Flau'Jae Johnson and Rori Harmon.
Even against the other ranked SEC teams like Oklahoma, Kentucky and Ole Miss, the Lady Vols will find it difficult to impose their will as much as they have so far. Oklahoma has shown a propensity for turnovers, but counters with a lightning-quick ability to score and rebound. Kentucky has D-I assists leader Georgia Amoore (8.2 APG) at point guard. And Ole Miss plays its own high-pressure defense.
Offensively, Tennessee averages 10.6 3-pointers per game -- fifth in D-I and a big jump from last season's 6.8. But the Lady Vols shot 32.1% from behind the arc last season compared to 28.7 this season.
There is a lot to like about what Tennessee has done so far. To match the achievements of former coach Kellie Harper -- who went 53-24 in SEC play in her five seasons and didn't finish below a tie for fourth place -- would be a success for Caldwell. But it seems unlikely any team will displace South Carolina as conference champion. -- Michael Voepel