Who will Sarah Strong pick?

[TN-Gamecock]

Sarah will pick : UCONN 1, Duke 2, UNC 3. If she goes to UNC, there will not be enough support around her to get to a NCAA Championship....(that's the problem with IOWA. Caitlin is the GOAT but supporting cast is weak).

If she goes to UCONN, they will be an instant contender with Carolina.

 

[Cuango]

I agree that she is not going to select UCONN. If she was going to do that, I believe it would have already happened. I think she now looks at UCONN and sees that the post position is " crowded". ICE Brady is emerging as a talent, and Jana is perceived as a wild card, who might just be " surprisingly good." Likely Duke and UNC offer better opportunities for her to start as a freshman. Duke is probably the most attractive. Great coach

? Not sure how Lawson qualifies as a “great” coach! I like her and believe she may eventually become a great coach but she is not one yet.

 

[Dogdude]

I don't put much stock ion kids who want to be the "star" right out of the gate. Kids choose Uconn because they want to be coached hard, and become the best they can be. This is why pro coaches love drafting Uconn players. They're ready to be as great as they possibly can be. Uconn players also have no problem attracting top MIL deals, assuming they have the talent and social media following. You can choose to be a star on a team for a couple of years, or a star for your whole life, and the great coaches produce players that get the whole package. Summit, Geno, and now Staley all produce that. If any player really wants to be the best they can be, Uconn is a logical choice over the other two listed.

 

[Heytherego]

Sarah will pick : UCONN 1, Duke 2, UNC 3. If she goes to UNC, there will not be enough support around her to get to a NCAA Championship....(that's the problem with IOWA. Caitlin is the GOAT but supporting cast is weak).

If she goes to UCONN, they will be an instant contender with Carolina.

Iowa made it to the national championship last year?

 

[Zarathustra]

I agree that she is not going to select UCONN. If she was going to do that, I believe it would have already happened. I think she now looks at UCONN and sees that the post position is " crowded". ICE Brady is emerging as a talent, and Jana is perceived as a wild card, who might just be " surprisingly good." Likely Duke and UNC offer better opportunities for her to start as a freshman. Duke is probably the most attractive. Great coach

Sorry, this is not my opinion. One reason is N. Collier, WNBA All Star, another is Dorka Juhasz, WNBA All Rookie team,
a third is BUCKETS, ALL AMERICAN, and there is the great team chemistry at UCONN. I assume Ms. Strong wants to be
developed into the best player she can be... but ... I also believe that coming to Storrs will be the best bet that Sarah and the
Huskies will have for multiple National Championships. Sarah will go where she thinks is in her best interests. Big
decisions can be very hard to make.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

I agree that she is not going to select UCONN. If she was going to do that, I believe it would have already happened. I think she now looks at UCONN and sees that the post position is " crowded". ICE Brady is emerging as a talent, and Jana is perceived as a wild card, who might just be " surprisingly good." Likely Duke and UNC offer better opportunities for her to start as a freshman. Duke is probably the most attractive. Great coach

Longtime fan- - -Sarah is NOT a post player!
She at 6'2" is a wing or small forward!
She'd be with Caroline, Aubrey, Paige, and maybe Azzi!
She answered a ? awhile back when asked about being a post player at 6'2" that she is not a post player!
Of course with Geno having position less players, everyone rotates through a progression so Bigs can play anyone of 3 spots C/PF/SF, and Smalls can play at anyone of 3 spots PG/SG/W! Looking at all 3 programs, UConn, Duke, and NoCar, though those 2 other programs are building UConn has a long history of getting players in the WNBA & the world stage, and if looking at their respective rosters for 2024-2025, UConn is already loaded for bear!
The only ? is health!

 

[hoopsdiva]

One of the advantages that UConn has traditionally had in recruiting is that great players want to play for the best, with the best, and against the best. So playing for Geno and CD is a major plus, especially with the reputation that they have for preparing WNBA- ready players. But who knows how long they'll be around? So far as playing with the best, having Paige for an additional year can only be a plus. But as for playing against the best, the Big East is a definite disadvantage for us.

 

[Dillon77]

That bolded “NOT” brings me chuckles

Couldn't resist (she's really good....)

 

[TN-Gamecock]

One of the advantages that UConn has traditionally had in recruiting is that great players want to play for the best, with the best, and against the best. So playing for Geno and CD is a major plus, especially with the reputation that they have for preparing WNBA- ready players. But who knows how long they'll be around? So far as playing with the best, having Paige for an additional year can only be a plus. But as for playing against the best, the Big East is a definite disadvantage for us.

The problem, you do not play the best teams due to your conference affiliation. I'm not dismissing UCONN in any way but if UCONN played in the SEC or B10, they would not dominate.

 

[JellyBean]

Naturally I would love for her to come to UConn, but I picked Duke. Coach Lawson is a building something special at Duke and with Toby Fournier and Strong, those two talented young ladies could be the pieces for Coach Lawson to launch Duke Women's basketball to greater levels.

 

[Roundball fan]

I think we will be much Stronger next year.

 

[Alydar]

The problem, you do not play the best teams due to your conference affiliation. I'm not dismissing UCONN in any way but if UCONN played in the SEC or B10, they would not dominate.

UConn has a higher SOS than most P-5 teams. SCar had one SEC game against a ranked team this season. UConn had 3 games against ranked BE teams. The SEC is better than the BE but UConn's schedule over the last 20 years has been tougher than any SEC team.
I give SCar credit for scheduling a tough OOC schedule but there are more SEC schools like LSU than like SCar.

 

[maple]

The problem, you do not play the best teams due to your conference affiliation. I'm not dismissing UCONN in any way but if UCONN played in the SEC or B10, they would not dominate.

 

[CAbballfan2]

I voted for Duke but my gut is still telling me UCONN....

I hope she goes to UCONN so that we can get back to a #1 vs #2....Gamecocks and Huskies. No other school other than maybe Stanford gets me pumped up. I don't care for the ACC teams we've played as they are mediocre at best when it comes to excitement of fans, sheer number of fans, and rivalry. As I said, give me UCONN, Stanford with UCLA, IOWA, OSU...the rest...Yawn...

Iowa is still going to bring excitement even with Clark gone next year?

 

[Zarathustra]

One of the advantages that UConn has traditionally had in recruiting is that great players want to play for the best, with the best, and against the best. So playing for Geno and CD is a major plus, especially with the reputation that they have for preparing WNBA- ready players. But who knows how long they'll be around? So far as playing with the best, having Paige for an additional year can only be a plus. But as for playing against the best, the Big East is a definite disadvantage for us.

THE BIG EAST is the BIG EAST.... But... UCONN's OOC schedule is among the BEST. And... Those
pre-Conference tournaments are " mini- NCAA" events. Remember: UCLA, TEXAS,
North Carolina, The Gamecocks, The "IRISH", etc. Do you expect UCONN to play
a top 10 program every weekend? UCONN already plays a selection from the BEST of
those other conferences... don't you remember UCONN beating IOWA in an early season
game in 2022 - 2023?

 

[Zarathustra]

I agree, without injuries, UCONN would hold its own and THEN SOME in ANY Conference

 

[cancontent]

I agree, without injuries, UCONN would hold its own and THEN SOME in ANY Conference

I'd counter, even with injuries, they're holding their own. Most teams would have completely wilted while they're still a top 10 squad this season.

 

[Zarathustra]

I'd counter, even with injuries, they're holding their own. Most teams would have completely wilted while they're still a top 10 squad this season.

True... so true.... I stand corrected... My Bad!!

 

[Duncan Idaho]

The problem, you do not play the best teams due to your conference affiliation. I'm not dismissing UCONN in any way but if UCONN played in the SEC or B10, they would not dominate.

This has been a Tennessee fan argument since 1995.

 

[TN-Gamecock]

Iowa made it to the national championship last year?

Yes they did, but it was a super herculean effort that Caitlin pulled off...Can she do it again? we'll see...I hope she does make it to the championship game against my Gamecocks....

 

[hoophuskee]

I agree that she is not going to select UCONN. If she was going to do that, I believe it would have already happened. I think she now looks at UCONN and sees that the post position is " crowded". ICE Brady is emerging as a talent, and Jana is perceived as a wild card, who might just be " surprisingly good." Likely Duke and UNC offer better opportunities for her to start as a freshman. Duke is probably the most attractive. Great coach

IMO she is an automatic start at UCONN.

 

[Bone Dog]

Aren’t the various national measures and rankings testimony that UConn would do well, even dominate in any conference? If they’re not, then what’s the point of having rankings at all?

 

[hoophuskee]

Whole lotta thoughts on this one -

• What if she made the decision a while back, and Geno said, great, but just make sure?
• What if this was always her final list, however went on visits to other schools to ensure her instincts were correct, that she wasn't missing anything?
• Maybe LSU & SC were on her list until this week, for reasons we'll never know?
• Perhaps she wanted to get through her HS season without any targeted (something) to her?
• If it's UConn, maybe Geno said wait a bit, as if she declared, it would raise a whole host of other questions on the roster for next season, and the coaches have been holding this team together with duct tape, bubble gum, wishes, prayers, hopes, dreams, luck, and didn't want yet another distraction?

Unless I'm mistaken, this is the first time that an "official" list has been released.

Sure. I said I don't know. I am only making guesses. Sure what you say could be true. I don't know where she is going to go. Just posted where I thougth she'd go.

 

[TN-Gamecock]

Iowa is still going to bring excitement even with Clark gone next year?

I sure hope so as I've become a fan. I was going to Minneapolis when Iowa played there a couple of weeks ago against UM but it was sold out. I travel to Minneapolis-St Paul a couple of times per year. I may go in a couple of weeks. When I do, I'm going to take the 3.5 hr drive down to Iowa City and tour the campus. I have a hankering to also drive over to Des Moines. I've never been in the state of Iowa so I want to do that.

Used to pull for the Gophers in the B10 but now, I've moved over the Hawkeyes Bench.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

I read a few days ago that Paige is estimated to be pulling in about $650,000 a year from NIL. And she's done a lot of very good things for others with some of that money. It wouldn't shock me in the least if she were willing to give up her scholarship if that's what it took to put UConn on the inside track to the National Championship. It also wouldn't shock me in the least if Geno and Paige have already had a discussion on that possible contingency.

Guessing also that #1 recruits nowadays will have their own nils as they come in. Its going to be a way to circumvent the scholly caps . Need to hire financial planners.

 

[TN-Gamecock]

THE BIG EAST is the BIG EAST.... But... UCONN's OOC schedule is among the BEST. And... Those
pre-Conference tournaments are " mini- NCAA" events. Remember: UCLA, TEXAS,
North Carolina, The Gamecocks, The "IRISH", etc. Do you expect UCONN to play
a top 10 program every weekend? UCONN already plays a selection from the BEST of
those other conferences... don't you remember UCONN beating IOWA in an early season
game in 2022 - 2023?

Well, we do too, but we STILL have the conference teams to play and the SEC is tough on the road. So we get tough teams on the front end, the conference, then the NCAA tournament..It never ceases for us... UCONN gets a break in the middle with the conference schedule.

 

[hoopsdiva]

THE BIG EAST is the BIG EAST.... But... UCONN's OOC schedule is among the BEST. And... Those
pre-Conference tournaments are " mini- NCAA" events. Remember: UCLA, TEXAS,
North Carolina, The Gamecocks, The "IRISH", etc. Do you expect UCONN to play
a top 10 program every weekend? UCONN already plays a selection from the BEST of
those other conferences... don't you remember UCONN beating IOWA in an early season
game in 2022 - 2023?

Are you aware that all caps online is the equivalent of screaming?

A strong conference schedule (such as the soon to be defunct Pac-10) is a much easier sell to recruits than a strong out of conference schedule. And the former does not preclude the latter.

 

[and one]

What Duke and Carolina have in common, aside from being in the ACC, is that they are very close to Fuquay-Varina. If she wants friends and family to be able to see her play and be able to run home to do laundry and get some of Mom's cooking both are great choices. Also two nice campuses and not a lot of winter to speak of. If these things are important to her then either school will be a good choice. NC State is even closer and has a good women's basketball program, but not the campus life of the other two, which may be why she looked (slightly) further afield.

Some kids want to get out of Dodge when choosing a college. If that's Sarah we are in luck. If Sarah wants to be a part of a great tradition, be buds with Geno and CD, win a lot of games, have a decent chance of winning s national championship and get a basketball education that directly translates to success in the WNBA, well that's UConn.

Ball is in Sarah's court.

 

[Heytherego]

Yes they did, but it was a super herculean effort that Caitlin pulled off...Can she do it again? we'll see...I hope she does make it to the championship game against my Gamecocks....

I don’t disagree. But they’re currently ranked #2 this year, they aren’t necessarily seen as “underdogs” and having no shot at a NC, although I do feel they’re lacking pieces to get there

 

[topogigio]

This happened in one game, so how is this a pattern? This is a narrative that doesn't make sense to me. South Carolina has examples of well rounded student athletes, who are also continuing to do so since graduating.

Their freshies 2019 class had several on the team who excelled academically and off the court. Laeticia Amihere graduated with 2 degrees, was part of their Student Council (or it's equivalent), and ran charitable events in Africa in her spare time. Aliyah Boston has used her platform along with her mother to help educate other on various topics including financial literacy.

A'ja Wilson has used her challenges with dyslexia to help others see they can make it at the college level. She's currently using her platform to partner with companies like AT&T to small business owners succeed. Her best selling book is a great message for young women who are learning to build confidence in themselves.

Alisha Gray is using her AU platform this season to build awareness for defibrillators and CPR training on behalf of her team mate Naz Hillmon's brother's charity, similar to what Tina Charles has done.

It's not a good idea to assume that programs like South Carolina lack the ability to develop players who also have good character based on one incident.

Not just one game, definite a pattern, not just with these 2 teams against each other, but against other teams. Do a bit of research on YouTube. Lot's o' stuff there.