UConn Duo Rise in Post–Paige Bueckers Era

Being compared to a legend like that is not something that happens every day. The comparison perhaps comes from the fact that this season has seen unprecedented growth from Strong. As Geno Auriemma put it early this season, “She’s on another level.” In the last game UConn played against Loyola Chicago, Strong had 11 points, three rebounds, four assists, four steals, and three blocks in just 20 minutes.

Strong also had a 21-point outing against Louisville and Florida State. She enters the fourth game averaging 17.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.7 steals per night while shooting over 57 percent from the field. Or maybe Parker made the comparison by looking at Strong’s freshman season.

In her freshman season, Strong broke the school record of rebounds with 356 to her name. Strong also ranks No. 2 for UConn freshmen in points with 657, trailing behind only Maya Moore. She was also the NCAA record holder for most points in an NCAA Tournament by a freshman with 114 points.

And for a team reshaping its emotional and tactical core, her steady rise is a lifeline. For four years, the Huskies relied on Bueckers’ production and leadership. After Bueckers was drafted to the WNBA, it was assumed that Azzi Fudd would step into her role. However, the unforeseen factor was the rise of Strong.

Right now, UConn’s leadership comes as a duo, and analysts Renee Montgomery and Parker had something to say about it.

Fudd, Strong Anchor UConn’s Post–Paige Bueckers Championship Push

As Montgomery, a former Husky, puts it, “The biggest thing you have to do as a leader is massage everything to make sure everybody’s happy at the same time… That’s the next step for Azzi.”

Montgomery points out the obvious but often overlooked truth of leadership: it’s easy when everything’s working. It’s harder when the game tightens.

“AZ is the person who can hit it, but she has to get used to saying, ‘All right, it’s on me.’ Sarah Strong is a person who can hit it too… It’s the next step of demanding it, being vocal, and communicating,” added Montgomery.

Strong’s early production pairs perfectly with Fudd’s evolution. Fudd opened the season with 20 and 23 points before a quieter nine-point outing against Loyola. Still, her efficiency is 47% from the field and 40 percent from three-point range, and the defensive side had its moments, with five steals.

Additionally, as Parker reminded everyone, “I think a lot of people are forgetting that she (Fudd) was the Most Outstanding Player last year at the Final Four… that confidence has grown more and more. And then you’re able to pour into a Sarah Strong.”

In last year’s NCAA Tournament, Fudd averaged 17.5 points and had a 24-point, five-rebound, three-steal performance in the national title win over South Carolina. She crossed the 1,000-point career mark that same night, just two days after dropping 19 points in the Final Four against UCLA.

While replacing Bueckers is not easy, Fudd and Strong appear to be making progress. In the early exhibition matches, it was Strong’s voice that came through the loudest in every huddle. However, since things have changed, Fudd has emerged as the leader that the world expected her to be.

In the post–Bueckers era, UConn doesn’t need a single savior; it needs leaders who grow into the moment. And the Strong-Fudd duo is doing just that.

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