North Carolina is the best and most challenging defense UConn has played this season. And for two quarters, it looked that way. The Huskies appeared flustered and frustrated, shooting just 23 percent in the first quarter and missing shots they typically make. Sarah Strong, the nation’s best player, had just two first-quarter points, and Azzi Fudd, the nation’s best 3-point shooter, didn’t even attempt a triple in the first half.

Then, UConn regrouped at halftime and came out looking a bit more like itself. The shots started to fall a bit more (never from beyond the arc, though), and the ball rotation was crisper. The defense, already locked in, upped its intensity, and Geno Auriemma appeared slightly less upset on the sideline as UConn beat UNC by 21 to advance to the Elite Eight for a rematch with Notre Dame.

There will certainly be plenty to dissect on film after this win. The Huskies will want to find a way to get their two best players going earlier, as Strong and Fudd combined for just four points on 2-of-9 shooting in the first quarter. And, for the nation’s best 3-point shooting team, the Huskies will need to course correct from range after they had their second-worst 3-point shooting outing of the season (20 percent).

UConn and Notre Dame faced off in January, with the Huskies winning 85-47. Since then, however, KK Bransford has returned to the Fighting Irish’s lineup and has proven a vital catalyst. They’ve gone 11-2 since her return, and coming into March, there may be no team that’s playing with more momentum than the sixth-seeded Irish.