The No. 1-ranked UConn Huskies made a statement Thursday night after cruising past the Villanova Wildcats 99–50 at Gampel Pavilion. But as dominant as they looked on the court, it was the postgame conversation from head coach Geno Auriemma that stole the spotlight.

Sophomore forward Sarah Strong turned in another spectacular performance, racking up 24 points, nine rebounds, five blocks, four assists, and three steals in just three quarters of the game. It was the kind of night that usually invites praise, reflection, and superlatives. Yet coach Auriemma made it clear he’s not satisfied, even with numbers that would wow most of the coaches.

“When you read out her stats, 24 points, nine rebounds, four assists, three steals, and five blocks, and it just goes on and on and on,” he said. “And the more things you can add to your game. I was talking to (Jamelle Elliott – the Huskies assistant coach) about it on the bench, actually. I said, ‘she’s not even halfway there to where I hope we can help her get’. She’s not even halfway there. Not even close.”

For him, this wasn’t a ceiling performance, but a mere checkpoint, from where she needs to elevate further.

Sarah Strong led a UConn team that overwhelmed the Wildcats from the opening stretch by pairing her interior dominance with a balanced offensive attack. Besides her, Azzi Fudd added another 14 points, while KK Arnold chipped in 13 points along with seven assists and four steals.

But still, it’s worth noting that what she’s doing night after night has begun to separate her from the rest of the college basketball athletes.

After entering the 2025-26 NCAA season as ESPN’s preseason No. 1 player in the country, Strong has only strengthened that standing as the year has progressed. In its midseason rankings released this week, ESPN has again placed her at the top of the list.

The star forward has taken on a larger role as a facilitator on the team, ranks among the nation’s most disruptive defenders, and consistently impacts games without forcing offense. A balance that has helped UConn maintain control regardless of opponent or game flow.

And yet, even as national evaluations place her alone at the top, Auriemma’s message remains unchanged.

But the next test arrives quickly, with UConn preparing to turn the page from Villanova and shift its attention to what lies ahead on the schedule.

What’s next for Sarah Strong and the Huskies?

With this win under their belt, the Huskies now sit at 18-0 overall and 9-0 in the Big East Conference. The only team that came even close to giving the Huskies their first loss of the season so far was the Michigan Wolverines. Where they ended the game at 72-69 back in November 2025. Except that, the Huskies have won every other game.

While on an individual level, Sarah Strong leads the team with the most points (18.4), most rebounds (8.1), most assists (4.6), and most steals (3.7). As a team, the Huskies offensively average 89.9 points per game, while holding their opponents to just 51.7.

For their next game, they will lock horns with the No. 23-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish on January 19th. A game predicted to be in favor of the Huskies with 95.3% by ESPN. Following that, they will play against:

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• The Georgetown Hoyas on January 22nd.
• The Seton Hall Pirates on January 25th.
• The Xavier Musketeers on January 28th.

But over the next stretch, the real question won’t be whether Strong dominates. It will be whether she continues to meet a standard set by a coach who believes she’s still miles away from her best.