UConn continued its dominant run of remaining one of the 4 unbeaten teams with an 84-48 win at home. Yet, after this lopsided victory, Geno Auriemma had a message for Sarah Strong: shoot the ball, and don’t hesitate.

The Huskies pushed Seton Hall Pirates to go 15-0 and are now on a 44-game Big East winning streak. Sophomore Sarah Strong has much to do with these numbers. The leading scorer for UConn, she once again delivered with 18 points, 7 of 11 shooting, while adding 8 rebounds in 25 minutes.

But Geno Auriemma had something different to say about her stat line. In a post-game interview with UConn on SNY, Auriemma spoke about her second-guessing of openings to score.

“She’s just got to get rid of that, ‘If I miss, I’m hurting my team,’” he said. Then came the blunt sentence: “Which no, if you pass it you’re hurting our team".

The comment, though sounds like criticism, was a push forward to be more confident. Auriemma banks on Strong's ability to stretch the floor and play offensively. Missing out on open threes costs the team.

However, Auriemma also noted her progress when asked about her perimeter shooting over the last 3 games. "The last three games specifically, I think (Sarah Strong) has had a lot of opportunities, and … she’s really being aggressive, aggressively hunting down those shots,” he said.

“I just think she’s taking more advantage of it, and you can see it in practice too".

He added, "When they start going in for her, they all go in, and she can’t wait to shoot the next one”. That is the rhythm and confidence Auriemma wants Strong to embrace in every game.

But UConn still rolls on a high

They made 31 of 67 field goals attempted in the entire stint, winning with a 36-point lead. They were their most dominant in the 2nd and 3rd quarter, edging the Pirates to a 29-8 lead in Q3. Along with Strong, three other Huskies made double figures: Azzi Fudd (16), Jana El Alfy (10), and Allie Ziebell (12).

Stats show that the Huskies’ last 42 Big East regular-season wins have all come by double digits. For Geno Auriemma, confidence is key, and that is what he's urging the No. 1 recruit of 2024 to find and embrace.

Written by

Fatema Kapasi

Edited by

Joyita Das