Geno Auriemma and the UConn Huskies continued their undefeated streak this season. On Friday, they secured a 63-42 victory over the North Carolina Tar Heels at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth.
Second-year small forward Sarah Strong proved to be a key player for the Huskies in the Sweet 16 showdown. She played for 38 minutes and scored 21 points, with 10 rebounds, two assists, five steals, and two blocks.
In the postgame press conference, Auriemma shared his thoughts on Strong’s development while discussing her emergence as a team leader.
“I do think, though, that when the time comes, when it’s absolutely needed, I think she’ll be the one– she’ll step up,” Auriemma said as per UConn basketball reporter Jake McCreven.
Coming out of high school, Sarah Strong was ranked as the No. 1 overall recruit in the class of 2024 by ESPN. She committed to play for Geno Auriemma’s team in April 2024.
During her freshman campaign, Strong played in 40 games and averaged 16.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. The Huskies went on to win both the Big East regular-season and tournament titles, while also emerging as the national champions. Strong was honored as the Big East Freshman of the Year.
This season, Geno Auriemma and his team are on track to win their second consecutive national championship. Strong has played in 35 games and averaged 18.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg, and 4.1 apg. She was honored as the USBWA National Player of the Year, Big East Defensive Player of the Year, and Big East Player of the Year.
Geno Auriemma Has High Praise For Notre Dame Star Hannah Hidalgo
After Friday’s game, Geno Auriemma had a sideline interview with SportsCenter. During this interaction, he took a moment to congratulate Hannah Hidalgo on her triple-double that helped Notre Dame secure a 67-64 victory over Vanderbilt in the Sweet 16. She scored 31 points with 11 rebounds, 10 steals, and seven assists.
“That performance by Hannah was just one for the ages,” Auriemma said. “To watch her play and see how much she impacts everything that happens on the court, every moment of the game, it’s a treat watching her play unless you have to play against her. Obviously, we played them earlier in the year. And they’re playing much, much better. They’re healthier. They’ve built a lot of confidence.”
UConn will face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Elite Eight on Sunday.
Read More: What Happened to Kiki Rice’s Shoes? UCLA Players Point Out Footwear After Sweet 16 Win
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