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Assessing the threat level to UConn in each round of the women's NCAA tournament

UConn has won 107 straight games in a row entering the NCAA tournament. (AP)
UConn has won 107 straight games in a row entering the NCAA tournament. (AP)

If the UConn women go on to win a fifth straight national championship this spring, the Huskies will have to earn it.

The women’s basketball selection committee laid down a gauntlet for them that could include last year’s national runner-up in the second round, a top 10 RPI team in the Sweet 16 and one of only two teams to play them close this season in the Elite Eight.

UConn will open against 16th-seeded Albany in Storrs on Saturday and then face either eighth-seeded Syracuse or ninth-seeded Iowa State in the second round two days later. Looming as potential opponents in the Bridgeport Regional the following weekend are fouth-seeded UCLA, third-seeded Maryland and second-seeded Duke.

This was supposed to be the season when UConn went from untouchable to vulnerable after graduating senior stars Breanna Stewart, Moriah Jefferson and Morgan Tuck. The Huskies instead haven’t missed a beat without the first three picks in the 2016 WNBA draft, extending their record win streak to 107 in a row despite a schedule that included elite foes Baylor, Notre Dame, Florida State, Texas and South Carolina.

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Nobody has beaten UConn since Nov. 2014, and few have come close. All but three of UConn’s 107 straight victories have come by double figures. Seventy-five have come by at least 30 points.

As a result of UConn’s dominance, the question that looms over this year’s women’s NCAA tournament is can anyone challenge the Huskies? Let’s assess the threat level to UConn in each round of the tournament.

Round of 64 opponent: 16th-seeded Albany (21-11)

In the past five years, UConn has defeated five No. 16 seeds in the opening round of the NCAA tournament by an average of 51 points. Albany could get at least a little closer. The six-time reigning America East Conference champion Great Danes actually upset fifth-seeded Florida in the opening round last March and pushed fourth-seeded Duke to the wire the year before, but this team changed coaches and graduated its all-time best player last spring. Albany started 9-10 this season but has since won 12 of 13.

Threat level: Minus-3. There’s a better chance of it raining chocolate sauce and hailing gum drops than UConn losing this game.

Projected Round of 32 opponent: 8th-seeded Syracuse (21-10)

The funniest moment of the selection show arrived when ESPN panned to Syracuse after announcing the Orange would be the No. 8 seed in UConn’s regional. The most excitement the Syracuse players could offer were a few forced smile here and there. It’s hard to blame Syracuse for being disappointed considering the Orange are ranked 21st in the AP poll and were projected to be a No. 6 seed in prominent mock brackets. Syracuse had hoped to duplicate last year’s surprise run to the national title game, but the Orange instead could be staring a rematch with UConn in the face in Bridgeport in the round of 32 if it first manages to survive ninth-seeded Iowa State.

Threat level: 2.5/10. While this is an unusually dangerous No. 8 seed, a better Syracuse team lost by 31 to UConn in last year’s title game.

Projected Sweet 16 opponent: 4th-seeded UCLA (23-8)

Battle-tested playing in a loaded Pac-12 that sent seven teams to the NCAA tournament, UCLA has at least shown the ability to compete with quality teams. The Bruins stayed within single digits at South Carolina back in December and soared into the RPI top 10 by beating Stanford, Oregon State and Washington in league play. UCLA was a victory away from earning a crack at UConn last March, but the Bruins lost by eight to Texas in the Sweet 16. If UCLA earns a shot at the Huskies this year, 6-foot-4 Monique Billings could pose at least somewhat of a challenge for UConn’s undersized frontcourt,

Threat level: 3/10. UCLA is on the rise, but even keeping it close in Storrs would be a massive challenge.

Projected Elite Eight opponent: 3rd-seeded Maryland (30-2)

Here’s where things could get tougher in a hurry for UConn if Maryland survives potentially tricky matchups with sixth-seeded West Virginia and second-seeded Duke. The star-laden Terps are one of three teams this season to come within single digits of the Huskies in an 87-81 loss. Brenda Frese’s team won 30 games and lost only once to anyone not named UConn yet received a No. 3 seed because the committee didn’t think highly of either Maryland’s non-conference schedule or the Big Ten. Soft schedule or not, this is clearly the toughest test UConn could face before the Final Four. The Terps boast an array of talented freshman yet also have senior leadership from guard Shatori Walker-Kimbrough and center Brionna Jones.

Threat level: 6/10. Illness waylaid Katie Lou Samuelson during the first meeting and foul trouble hampered several other Huskies, yet they still held off the Terps on the road.

Projected Final Four opponent: Top-seeded Baylor (30-3)

The last time anyone besides UConn won a national championship, Baylor was the team to do it. The Bears defeated Stanford and Notre Dame at the 2012 Final Four to secure the title. While Baylor has since fallen short of a return trip to the Final Four the past four seasons, the Bears have the ingredients to get back this season. Early foul trouble for 6-7 Kalani Brown and a late 16-2 UConn run doomed Baylor to a 72-61 loss in Storrs on Nov. 17. If there’s a rematch and Brown can avoid picking up two quick fouls again, she and the rest of the Bears’ massive frontcourt could have a size mismatch against the Huskies.

Threat level: 6/10. The size advantage could keep Baylor competitive, but UConn’s frontcourt makes up for its stature with skill, quickness and toughness.

Projected title game opponent: Notre Dame (30-3)

While South Carolina and Stanford are among the other threats to reach the title game from the opposite half of the bracket, it’s tough to bet against Notre Dame. The second-ranked Irish have landed a No. 1 seed for the sixth straight year and had reached the Final Four the first four times before Stanford upset them last year. Notre Dame’s lone matchup with UConn this year was a 72-61 loss in South Bend, an eye-opening outcome since the Irish were widely expected to be the nation’s top team this season with the Huskies losing so much talent. UConn instead led for all but five minutes of the game thanks largely to forwards Gabby Williams and Napheesa Collier, who combined for 39 points, 17 rebounds and six steals.

Threat level: 7/10. The Irish have largely met expectations this season. They’re only not the favorite because UConn has raised the bar once more.

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Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!