"No team has an answer for her": College hoops fans laud 18 year old rookie for stepping up on Paige Bueckers' off night at UConn vs Louisville
Sarah Strong picked up the scoring slack amid Paige Bueckers' offensive struggles on Saturday night, leading the No. 2 UConn Huskies to a comprehensive 85-52 victory over the No. 22 Louisville Cardinals. The matchup was part of the Women's Champions Classic and was played at Barclays Center.
Strong led all scorers in this contest with 21 points. She shot 8-of-10 from the field, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. The freshman forward also had eight rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal in 26 minutes of action.
College hoops fans took to X (formerly Twitter) to praise Strong, who helped the Huskies shake off Bueckers' eight-point performance against the Cardinals. Strong has been a vital cog for UConn, averaging 16.3 points and 7.6 rebounds through eight games.
"No team has an answer for her," a fan wrote.
"She’s so good! Can’t believe she’s only a rookie," another posted.
"Game after game, she delivers," commented one.
Here are some other reactions.
"Sarah Strong is the complete package. Girl can ball," one fan shared.
"Sarah Strong is the best player on UConn right now and might be the best player in America," another fan claimed.
"I’m so thankful everyday that Sarah Strong chose UConn. She doesn’t even play like a freshman. She’s going to be so special," one user wrote.
Sarah Strong's explosion in first half helps UConn Huskies beat Louisville
Strong did most of her damage in the first half, scoring 16 of her 21 points during that period. She shot 6-for-8 from the field and 2-of-4 from the 3-point area in the opening two quarters. Strong also grabbed five rebounds to help the Huskies build a commanding 49-24 advantage at the break.
UConn opened up a sizable lead despite Paige Bueckers being a no-show in the first half. She struggled to find her stroke, scoring just three points during that stretch. All of Bueckers' points in the first half came via free throws, with the UConn star going 0-for-6 from the floor.
Bueckers failed to score in double figures for the first time this season, finishing the game with eight points, 10 rebounds and six assists. She shot 2-of-11 from the field and missed five of her six 3-point attempts.