UConn forward Sarah Strong has had a strong freshman campaign.
She has looked far from a rookie in her first 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament. She had a team-leading 22 points, eight rebounds and one assist in No. 2 UConn’s 85-51 Final Four win over No. 1 UCLA on Friday, which marks the the largest margin of victory in a Final Four game in NCAA history. Strong is just the third Husky to score 20+ points in a Final Four game, joining Maya Moore (2008) and Breanna Stewart (2013).
Her record-setting year doesn’t end there. Strong joined Moore (678 points) as the only freshmen in UConn history to surpass 600-plus points in a season with 633 points. Strong, who earned the Big East Freshman of the Year honors, also set a UConn freshman record for rebounds (341) and is second in assists (136).
‘Not much surprises me, not much that Sarah does makes me go, Wow, I didn’t know she could do that,’ head coach Geno Auriemma said on Monday. ‘But Sarah impacts the game in so many ways, that you just have so much confidence in her, so much belief in her. I don’t know. Can’t explain it.’
FINAL FOUR RECAP: UConn smashes UCLA to reach national championship game
Strong shot 9-of-13 from the field in the Final Four matchup on Friday and 4-of-6 from three. She could have added to her stat line, but Strong was pulled from the game alongside UConn’s starters with 4:15 remaining and a comfortable 29-point lead. Strong is averaging a double-double through five games in the tournament (18 points, 11 rebounds).
Chicago Sky star Angel Reese tweeted, ‘Sarah Strong so tough!’
The Huskies are now one victory from the program’s 12th national championship and first since 2016. UConn will face off against the defending champion South Carolina Gamecocks at 3 p.m. ET Sunday. ABC will broadcast the final.
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