Trojans HC makes her feelings clear on "hard to guard" 18-year-old UConn star Sarah Strong

USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb applauded UConn freshman Sarah Strong for her double-double performance even though No. 7 USC held on to defeat No. 2 UConn 72-70 on Saturday in a thrilling contest.

"Sarah Strong is going to make a lot more game-winning shots than she ever misses,” the fourth-year head coach remarked (Timestamp: 1:15).

“When you win, you always have to think about the other side. That kid is so good. ... And I, just for her, I think we all should know what a great player she is, and the future is incredibly great. She is so hard to guard."

Strong continued to make waves in her stellar freshman season with a dominant showing, logging 22 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, four steals and a block in 38 minutes. She shot an efficient 8 of 15 from the field and went 4 of 4 from the free-throw line until the final sequence when USC star guard Juju Watkins fouled her on a 3-point attempt.

Strong made the first free throw but missed the next two. UConn star Paige Bueckers grabbed the rebound and passed the ball back to Strong, who missed another deep 3-pointer that could have tied the game.

The freshman was pivotal in the fourth quarter, recording nine points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal. She scored a layup to give UConn a brief 65-64 lead and assisted on a Bueckers basket to tie the game at 67-67 with 2:24 remaining, but JuJu Watkins took over in the closing moments to secure the win for USC.

After the game, Watkins, Kiki Iriafen and the Trojans celebrated with a water-gun ambush on Coach Gottlieb in the locker room before turning their focus on Watkins.

USC (11-1) will enjoy an eight-day break before facing No. 20 Michigan at home on Dec. 29 in a Big Ten matchup. USC will then face Nebraska at the Galen Center on New Year's Day.

USC shines in victory over UConn

The Women of Troy delivered a commanding road performance against UConn at the XL Center. A 42-29 halftime lead provided just enough cushion to withstand a late rally by the Huskies, who outscored USC 41-30 in the second half.

USC star JuJu Watkins had a standout evening, leading all scorers with 25 points, six rebounds, five assists, three blocks and a steal on 9-of-16 shooting, including 3 of 4 from beyond the arc. Kiki Iriafen also made a significant impact, posting 16 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and a steal.

Freshman guard Kennedy Smith returned to the starting lineup after missing a month due to an unspecified surgical procedure. In just her fourth game of the season, Smith contributed nine points, three rebounds and a block in 23 minutes.

The Trojans excelled in 3-point shooting, converting 9 of 15 attempts, while UConn struggled, hitting only 6 of 23 from deep. USC shot 49.2% compared to UConn’s 43.5%, held a 33-32 rebounding edge, including a 28-24 advantage on defensive boards, and dominated the blocks category 7-2.