HARTFORD – It can all come down to one possession.
That’s what happened in Hartford on Saturday night in the rematch of the 2024 NCAA Elite 8 when Paige Bueckers and the No. 4 UConn Women’s Basketball team fell to Juju Watkins and the No. 7 USC Trojans 72-70.
In front of a sold-out home crowd, freshman Sarah Strong had the chance to tie the game with five seconds left. Watkins notched a personal foul and Strong was awarded three shots from the line.
Strong notched her first shot with flying colors, but missed the first and second and as the clock winded down as the Huskies tried to tie the game up, the Trojans would take the win by just two points.
“Nobody’s more disappointed than she [Strong] is right now in that moment, but I would put her in that moment, every single game for the rest of season, and have confidence that she’s going to come through.” Head coach of Connecticut Geno Auriemma said to the media after the game.
Despite the tough ending, Strong was a difference maker out on the court for her squad. The North Carolina Native notched her third double-double of the season with 22 points and 13 rebounds.
“Just to be clear, that game was not won or lost on those three free throws.” Bueckers emphasized to the media after the game. “Sarah [Strong] was a huge part of that second half comeback and the reason we were even in this game.”
In the first half, the Huskies struggled to gain offensive momentum and found themselves at one point with a near twenty-point deficit.
This was when Auriemma started playing small ball and used Strong at the No. 5 position and freshman Morgan Cheli to help aid their defense.
“I think she showed her experience and how to you know how to get positioned and how to get the shots you want.” Auriemma said. “And there’s nothing that she did today that surprised me, because I’ve always had so much respect for her as a player, but her strength and her quickness and if she starts making that open 15, 16 footers, then it’s lights out.”
The Huskies headed into halftime with the score 42-29, but they weren’t going down with the fight, in fact, they came out as a completely different team.
Sophomore KK Arnold turned the page for the Huskies and provided a spark off the bench, generating great play on both sides of the ball.
“One of her biggest roles should be to come in and disrupt the game and change the way the game is played. And I thought she did that.” Auriemma said on his five-foot-nine guard.
In the third and fourth quarters alone, the Wisconsin native attained four points and two rebounds and aided her teammates as they looked to inch closer and decrease their point deficit bit-by-bit.
“She brings a different intensity off the bench, a different spark off the bench. And again, you saw it defensively, but just the way she pushes out and transition gets easy baskets for us.” Bueckers said on Arnold, “But the game turned around when she got in the game with her ball pressure, with her getting in passing lanes and defensive intensity.’
Bueckers and Strong maintained their composure and consistency and the second half and each notched 15 and 13 points, respectively.
“Sarah Strong is going to make a lot more game winning shots than she ever misses.” Head coach of USC said, “That kid is so good…And I just for her, I think we all should know what a great player she is, and the future is incredibly great.”
Not only was this down to the wire matchup a game to remember, but it was also one for the history books. Each player during warmups wore a “everyone watches women’s sports shirt” in their respective team colors and the game was broadcasted on FOX as Primetime Hoops.
Auriemma said to the media driving to the game in Hartford, he remembered the first game ever at the XL Center and how there were barely 1,000 people in attendance and how far the game has come.
“Driving up here and knowing that there was 16,000 people here…it doesn’t feel like the same universe.” Auriemma said.
According to Auriemma the message heading into Connecticut’s holiday break is based off today’s game and for his squad to stay consistent in both halves and not look like two different teams.
“Coach [Auriemma] was saying, we can’t have two teams that show up every single night, whether it be our first half team or second half team. We have to remain consistent in who we are and what gets us to winning.”
After a much-needed holiday break, the Huskies will return to the XL Center to play the Providence Friars on Dec. 29. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. and Husky fans can tune in on SNY.