UConn sophomore Sarah Strong had one of her best games to date in the Huskies’ 100–68 win over Ohio State on Sunday at PeoplesBank Arena, matching her freshman-year career high with 29 points while adding 13 rebounds, seven assists, five steals and three blocks. It also marked her first double-double of the season and the 14th of her career.
Strong set the tone early and remained dominant throughout, including a highlight play in the first quarter when she grabbed a defensive rebound, dribbled once and launched a full-court pass that dropped directly into Serah Williams’ hands for a layup that pushed UConn’s lead to 11. The Huskies never let go of control from there.
While Strong drove the offense, UConn (4–0) received steady contributions across the lineup. Azzi Fudd finished with 19 points and seven assists, freshman Blanca Quiñonez added 18 off the bench, and Williams and Ashlynn Shade scored 12 and 10, respectively, per Maggie Vanoni of CT Insider. Quiñonez helped steady the offense after Ohio State opened with a 7–0 run, scoring a three-point play late in the first quarter that gave UConn a 23–19 advantage.
Ohio State (2–1) trailed by just one point late in the first half before UConn closed on an 11–0 run. Fudd, who missed all five of her shots in the first quarter, knocked down three 3-pointers in the second. The Buckeyes went more than six minutes without a field goal before halftime and committed nine turnovers in the final 5:03 of the half.
The Huskies outscored Ohio State 52–27 in the second and third quarters, with Strong recording 21 points, five assists and four steals during that stretch. The Buckeyes cooled after an early run of accurate perimeter shooting, missing seven straight 3-pointers as UConn extended its lead to 28.
UConn faces No. 14 Michigan on Friday in the Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase. Ohio State returns home to play Kent State on Wednesday.
Reporting by Jim Fuller of the Associated Press contributed to this article.
