Last October, the UConn women’s basketball team began its 2024-25 season with a disaster behind closed doors. The only public evidence of the secret scrimmage the team played against Columbia at Gampel Pavilion is a photo of a crinkled box score posted to X.

No. 1 UConn started its title defense with a 79-66 season-opening win over Louisville on Tuesday at the Armed Forces Classic in Annapolis, Maryland.