No. 2 UConn women’s basketball cruised to a lopsided 103-34 victory against No. 15 Arkansas State to begin their 2025 NCAA Tournament journey on Saturday. The Huskies had no trouble avoiding the upset to say the least.
Although Paige Bueckers often receives most of the attention for UConn, she only recorded 11 points in the game. Azzi Fudd led the Huskies with 27 points, while freshman Sarah Strong enjoyed a historic performance.
Strong ultimately finished the game with 20 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and five blocks. According to Alexa Philippou of ESPN, Strong became the only player in the last 25 years to have 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and five blocks in an NCAA Tournament contest.
Bueckers is arguably the best player in women’s college basketball. She is expected to be selected first overall in the WNBA Draft. This UConn women’s basketball team features more star-power than just Bueckers, however.
Fudd has played well since returning from injury while Strong is emerging as a star. If the Huskies continue to receive reliable production from multiple players, they will be an especially dangerous team moving forward in the NCAA Tournament. After all, at some point Bueckers is going to have a big game, and if her teammates also play at a consistent level, then all opponents will be able to do is hope for the best.
UConn is now preparing for the next round. Anything can happen in March Madness, so the Huskies cannot afford to let their guard down regardless of the opponent. They certainly avoided that happening on Saturday as evidenced by their eye-opening victory.
As for Sarah Strong, her basketball future is extremely bright. She impacts the game in multiple ways and is receiving valuable experience in the NCAA Tournament. Strong could emerge as UConn’s leader within the next year or two.
For now, Strong and UConn women’s basketball are focused on making a championship pursuit.
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