“You go, well, we lost Nika. So do we just kind of roll with what we have? Or do we try to find another guard to play that position? Someone who can add something that we don’t have?” shared UConn’s head coach, Geno Auriemma. Ever since Nika Mühl and Aaliyah Edwards’ departure to the WNBA, Auriemma has been on a quest to find someone who can fill the void. And it seems like Geno has found a replacement who even crashed Paige Bueckers’ interview.

It’s none other than UConn’s 5-star recruit, Sarah Strong. After media day, UConn WBB posted a video on its official Instagram account where Paige Bueckers was being interviewed. Seeing this, Strong took the opportunity and asked, “We know that you can hoop, and you can sing. So when is Lil Paigey dropping again?” Bueckers replied with a laugh, saying, “She’s a joke, sister.“

It’s clear that Strong is bonding well with her teammates, especially Bueckers. This is crucial for her and the team who try to fill the void of ‘the experienced’ like Nika Muhl, who also shared excellent chemistry with Beuckers. So Auriemma is aware of the team lacking experience, but he hopes their talent is enough to overpower.

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“You try to think, ‘This is what I think we need. And this is the person that I think fills that need.’ And you just hope you’re right. That’s it,” Auriemma shared after the Coaches Road Show.

But according to Auriemma, this year’s recruits are already “right.” This conclusion came after closely observing the players. “Just watching them work out, being around them every day, I think we got it right. I think we got it right last year, and I feel really, really good about where we are right now.” While Kaitlyn Chen is already living up to the hype, Strong is also expected to be a consistent threat. How?

Sarah Strong’s threes are the need of the hour for Huskies

The Class of 2024’s No. 5 recruit has been on the Huskies’ radar for the past few years, though Strong didn’t make her decision official until the Final Four weekend in early April. “Some recruiting is pretty straightforward and pretty easy. Some of it is somewhat complicated at times,” added Auriemma.

The 6-foot-2 standout was averaging 21 impressive points, 4.6 assists, 1.8 blocks, 16.8 rebounds, and 2.8 steals per game during her senior year. Undoubtedly, she’s a threat under the hoop, outmuscling opponents for rebounds and surprising defenders with her ability to shoot deep threes.

But it isn’t just her skills that make Strong stand out—it’s her attitude toward the future. “I think the best players are the ones that say, ‘Coach, I can fill any position you want me to. Just put me in that spot, put me on the court, and I’ll figure it out.’ And she’s that kind of kid. I can put her anywhere,” Auriemma shared about Strong.

All the skills Strong possesses are something UConn’s bigs have lacked in recent years. Above all, she shot 40 percent from the arc in 12 of the 29 games played last year. What do you think? Will she be able to meet the high expectations?