Freshman Sarah Strong elevates UConn to Final Four favorite

While much of the attention on the UConn program is directed — and rightfully so — at superstar Paige Bueckers, it’s Strong who elevates the team to even further heights and establishes the team as the betting favorite to leave Tampa with some hardware. After coming up short in each of the three Final Fours she’s competed in, Bueckers has her best chance to leave UConn with a title in Tampa because of the supporting cast around her — and that cast is led by Strong.

“The poise, the maturity that she has on the basketball court, it’s very special — and not many people have that at such a young age,” UConn sophomore guar Ashlynn Shade told The Next about her freshman teammate. “I think it’s because of her IQ, and she’s been around the game for so long … she just really knows what that’s doing out there.”

Raised by former college basketball players Allison Feaster (Harvard) and Danny Strong (NC State), Sarah grew up around the game. She spent the first ten years of her life in Spain while her parents played professional hoops. Sarah made the decision to take her basketball pedigree to UConn, and has made an immediate and significant impact on the heralded program. She’s not only the best freshman in the sport, earning 2025 WBCA NCAA Division I Freshman of the Year honors, but she’s also one of the best players in the nation. She’s averaging 16.1 points and 8.8 rebounds per game while leading the Huskies in rebounds, steals and blocks. She also ranks second on the team in points and assists.

“She doesn’t even feel like a freshman. … She’s very competitive, and she doesn’t take anything for granted. She just goes at it,” UConn sophomore guard KK Arnold told The Next.

On Friday evening, UConn and Strong will tip off in their biggest game of the season — a Final Four semifinal game against the No. 1 overall seed, the UCLA Bruins. Bruins coach Cori Close, who recruited Strong out of high school, emphasized how challenging it will be to contain Strong’s dynamic abilities on the court.

“I thought she was a [Nikola] Jokić [type] of player in terms of how many areas [she] affect[s] the game. And that’s exactly what she’s done this year,” Close told reporters. “She’s a difficult one, especially when they play their five guard lineup and she’s the five, whatever that means. That’s a big piece of what it takes to stretch us out. And that’s our most challenging lineup.”

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Like NBA star Jokić, Strong shines because of her exceptional versatility, basketball IQ and playmaking abilities. She’s a nightmare for opponents because she can score in a variety of ways, from a soft touch around the basket, mid-range jumpers and from beyond the arc. She ranks second in the nation — behind teammate Paige Bueckers — in overall win shares (11.5) and leads the nation in defensive win shares (4.6) and defensive rating (64.9).

Strong is extremely efficient in her time on the court, ranking third in the nation in player efficiency rating (41.0). She sits just one tenth of a percentage behind 6’7 UCLA center, Lauren Betts, who she’ll compete against on Friday. Betts is the most elite big that Strong has faced in her young college career, yet Betts is preparing for what she expects will be elite play from Strong. In practice, the Bruins have focused on ways to shut down Strong on offense and contend against her elite defensive abilities.

“We’ve done a lot of preparation,” Betts told reporters. “And we have practice guys here and they’re doing a really good job just preparing us for that. [Sarah Strong is] a super skilled, super athletic, just amazing talent — especially as a freshman.”

Strong’s poise and maturity on the court have been on display all season and especially in the biggest moments. Against top 25 opponents this season, the 6’2 forward averaged 16.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. At her green age and in just the first year of her collegiate career, what contributes to her composure in the big moments?

“It comes from the confidence of my teammates and confidence in myself,” Strong told The Next. “The way I believe in our abilities as a team.”

While it’s typically expected that freshmen will need an adjustment period to the college game, Strong hasn’t seemed to skip a beat — living up to the reputation of coveted No. 1 recruit that proceeded her from high school. Auriemma knew the talent he was getting when he commented on her potential during the preseason. For a UConn program hungry to clinch its first national championship in nearly a decade, freshman Sarah Strong might be the difference-maker.

“Every aspect of the game she impacts,” Auriemma said. “There aren’t very many like her in the country.”

Jenn Hatfield contributed reporting to this story.

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