“This is just the start”: UConn freshman Sarah Strong sends bold message after Big East championship

The UConn Huskies, headlined by the likes of Sarah Strong, won their fifth straight Big East conference tournament championship. Earlier on Monday, March 10, the No. 3-ranked team in the country beat the Creighton Bluejays, who were the league's second seed, 70-50, to clinch the 2025 conference postseason title.

As she has done multiple times in the 2024-2025 season, Strong stood out by posting a double-double of 13 markers and 11 rebounds, four assists, six steals and three blocks in 35 minutes for the Geno Auriemma-coached squad.

During her post-game interview with FOX Sports' Allison Williams, the first-year star was asked about her thoughts being the future cornerstone for the powerhouse program as they continue their dominance of the Big East.

"It's great. It's my first one. This is just the start but I'm very, very happy with the outcome," Strong said boldly. (0:25)

The 6-foot-2 sensation also spoke about how she feels her team was able to uncork the triumph to stay atop of their conference, citing their scouting report as a factor.

"Definitely communication. I mean in practice, we've always been talking about their screens. They like to move off the ball. So, just communicating at the ball and just staying together," Strong shared. (0:05)

This conference tournament championship berth was preceded by a fifth straight Big East regular season title as the Huskies prove that they are still on another echelon in the league.

Moving on from her first taste of the Big East postseason, Strong and the rest of the UConn squad now ramps up for the national tournament later this March, as they aim to snap a nine-year drought for the program that last won it all in 2016.

Sarah Strong says the Big East conference tournament made her more mentally-prepared for March Madness

Later in the interview, Sarah Strong was asked about how she will use her experience of the Big East conference as a basis for her first national tournament appearance in college basketball in March Madness.

"Definitely staying mentally tough. Playing three games back-to-back is definitely a toll on your body. So, just staying with it mentally really helps," Strong asserted. (0:40)

After dropping three straight double-doubles to help clinch the Big East conference, Strong aims to translate this momentum into the winner-take-all tournament.

For her first stint of collegiate hoops, she is averaging 16.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.5 blocks per contest for the UConn Huskies.