“It’s definitely going to be different, but it’s going to be great,” Azzi Fudd said in August, when discussing what it would be like to play a college season without Paige Bueckers. Before we begin this story, though, fair warning: this isn’t your typical lovey-dovey power couple story. We’re here for basketball.

The Bueckers-Fudd duo collaborated for four years to elevate the UConn Huskies’ status, ultimately winning a championship in 2025. However, with Bueckers making waves in the WNBA and likely in Unrivaled soon, Fudd won’t have her partner in crime. Despite this, there’s still widespread hope for the team.

AP’s preseason women’s college basketball rankings have UConn first! They received 27 first-place votes from a 31-member national media panel. Behind them are the South Carolina Gamecocks, the runner-up from last season. The other two teams making the top four were also a part of last season’s Final Four during March Madness: the UCLA Bruins and the Texas Longhorns.

UConn opens with the preseason No. 1 rank for the 13th time in program history, following its 12th NCAA championship win. And after Paige Bueckers’ leap to the pros, Azzi Fudd will now reportedly step in as the team’s top backcourt option.

Meanwhile, sophomore Sarah Strong could emerge as the best player on the roster. Across 40 games, she averaged 16.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists last season. On the shooting front, she averaged 58.6% from the field, 38.8% from deep, and 74.0% from the free-throw line. She joined Maya Moore as the only freshman in UConn history to score more than 600 points in a season. She also scored the most rebounds and had the second-most assists by a freshman.

“It’s kind of been a hallmark of our team, to have players that are efficient,” Geno Auriemma recently said after the UConn side’s win against Boston College in an exhibition game.

When discussing the Fudd-Strong duo, the Huskies head coach said, “The two of them, they really have a great sense for the game and take really good shots. They’re so confident in themselves. They don’t need a lot of touches. And when they start making them, they keep making them. It’s fun watching them, because they can blow a game open. In a three-minute stretch, it can go from a 10-point game to a 22-point game like that. They just really understand what to do. They know what they’re good at, and that’s what they do.”

Did you know: Eight of the 12 previous times UConn was picked first in the AP preseason rankings, the Huskies went on to win the national championship!

Together, Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong can surprise people, and the confidence being entrusted in them by Auriemma is no joke. However, as the popular saying goes, every coin has two sides, and one popular analyst continues to remain doubtful about the UConn side.

Azzi Fudd-Sarah Strong Duo Could Still Face One Major Issue Despite Geno Auriemma’s Trust

A few days ago, NCAA analyst Emily Adams spoke about the Huskies on her Listen Up show. She highlighted the effect of Paige Bueckers’ exit, stating, “They’ll tell you that inside the program, they’re feeling it during this preseason even still… Obviously, the on-court stuff is a big deal, but the biggest thing you lose in losing Paige is that voice of the team and the leadership. She’s been that person for them since the time she got on campus.”

Geno Auriemma’s roster certainly includes other efficient players, aside from Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong. However, leadership doesn’t appear on stat sheets. There’s one key quality that both stars lack, and Emily Adams believes that Caroline Ducharme can step up to the challenge. Despite her severe head and neck issues that derailed her time in Storrs, she has been an efficient teammate and could be a good guide after having received some proper guidance herself.

As for Paige Bueckers’ better half and Sarah Strong, Emily Adams continued, “Their leadership looks very different from Paige’s; neither of them are super vocal… And like the same thing with it’s a work in progress for both as they get comfortable in that space.”

Do you think Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong have the potential to step up and make a significant impact? Let us know your thoughts below.