Sarah Strong earned the ultimate UConn compliment from one of the greatest coaches the game has ever seen. “In the next three years, she (Sarah Strong) might be the best player to come out of UConn,” South Carolina coach Staley said after losing to Paige Bueckers and Co. in the 2024-25 National Championship game. “The (basketball) IQ is off the charts,” Staley said. “The skill set, off the charts. Big play after big play after big play.” Her freshman season was just a preview of things to come. Strong is now dazzling as a sophomore, so much so that Paige Bueckers was left speechless after her latest performance. 

Sarah Strong had a “video game-like” performance against the Ohio State Buckeyes. In an almost triple-double, Strong tallied a career high 29 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists, five steals, 3 blocks, and 0 turnovers. She shot 12-17 from and 2-3 from the three-point line and 3-3 from the foul line. Strong’s show incited an immediate reaction from her former teammate Paige Bueckers. 

“Sarah Strong… no words,” wrote a stunned Bueckers. While that wasn’t many words, every fan understood Bueckers’ feeling. Strong completed her 29 points within her first three quarters and went scoreless in the fourth. Strong perfectly displayed the former NBA star Jamal Crawford’s compliment. “Absolutely love her (Strong’s) game. So good, so unselfish!” Crawford said. She did not force any moves despite being on the cusp of her first 30-point game. 

Bueckers had already warned the college after playing with the freshman version of Strong. “The foundation she’s laid as a freshman is unreal,” Bueckers had said after winning the national championship. “The fact that she’s going to get better is extremely scary.” Last season playing with Bueckers, Strong averaged 16.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. This season, despite a more ball-heavy role, she is continuing on the upward trajectory. 

Strong looks cut from a different cloth. As she dribbled past the defense for an easy layup in the third quarter, the Peacock broadcaster said, “Sarah Strong looks like she’s playing against kids right now.” It was that kind of a display from the forward. Azzi Fudd supported her with 19 points and 7 assists, while Blanca Quiñonez finished with 18 points. UConn defeated Ohio 100-68. In many ways, the team responded to the call from coach Geno Auriemma. 

Sarah Strong And Co. Respond To Geno Auriemma’s Criticism

As dominant as UConn was in its first three games, Geno Auriemma wasn’t quite happy with their offense. “The bench had a lot of points because Azzi and Sarah didn’t,” Auriemma said Wednesday. “…. Can both of those guys get their 20 (points) and the bench still get 40? I don’t know. I don’t know whether that’s possible or not, but I think the more minutes they play, the more we play together, the more cohesive we are.” 

UConn finished with 30 bench points, with both Fudd and Strong putting in extraordinary performances. It’s a sign that this team is moving towards getting even better. However, they still continued forcing turnovers. Auriemma’s other complaint was the dependence on turnovers. In this game, their dependence is reduced by comparison. 

The Huskies still scored a whopping 37 points off 24 turnovers, which is fewer than their games against Loyola (45) and Florida (42). It is still more than their game against Louisville (16). Their assist count is also trending up, going from 21.3 per game in the first three games to 30 against Ohio.

Better teams will indeed hold the ball better. Like their next opponent, the No. 14-ranked Michigan. They are averaging 16 turnovers per game, which is still sloppy, but it’s on par with their Louisville game, where they scored 79 points, their lowest so far. Geno Auriemma warned his squad regarding their next opponent after the Ohio win, saying,(via Avery Becker) “Based on what I’ve seen from Michigan, they will be, for sure, the best team we play this year, by a long shot at this time in the season.”  

Michigan has conceded just 47.5 points per game, albeit in two games. Their defensive composure should give Sarah Strong a better test than today. Azzi Fudd will continue anchoring Strong at the secondary. Auriemma will push his bench to improve further. After the Michigan test, we can really judge whether UConn has the goods to go all the way once again and maybe even unbeaten.