Last Wednesday, the Basketball Hall of Fame announced that the UConn women’s basketball team would take on the Iowa State Cyclones in this year’s Women’s Showcase. The announcement comes nearly three months after the Huskies battled another Iowa-based program—the Iowa Hawkeyes—in the Final Four. People billed that national semifinal bout in Cleveland as a clash between two generational guards: Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark.
Most of the storylines at Mohegan Sun Arena on Tuesday, December 17, will focus on the battle of the bigs this time around. When the two programs tip off in Uncasville, rising sophomore center Audi Crooks could possibly face Class of 2024 No. 1 recruit Sarah Strong.
Depending on how that game goes, it could be a confrontation of centers that defines women’s basketball over the next few seasons. The best way to explain why that precisely might be the case is to compare and contrast.
On paper, the battle between Strong and Crooks could be likened to Donovan Clingan vs. Zach Edey in the 2024 men’s basketball national championship game. Although the stakes at Mohegan Sun Arena are way lower than the men’s national title tilt in Glendale, Arizona, some striking similarities stand out.
Strong, the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2024, averaged 2.3 blocks during her high school career at Grace Christian in Raleigh, North Carolina. That was on top of scoring 23 points, grabbing 16 rebounds and dishing out 4.7 assists a night. Only one frontcourt player, Iowa State’s Abby Brown (4.8 APG), averaged more dimes in college basketball last season than the North Carolina native did in high school.
Strong’s shot-blocking skills harken to Clingan’s defensive style of play, but her unselfishness with the ball makes her an ideal fit for Connecticut’s team-first approach. Come her senior season, the 6-foot-2 forward’s name could potentially be uttered in the same sentence as that of greats like Rebecca Lobo, Tina Charles and Breanna Stewart. Her potential as the No. 1 recruit in the 2024 class is that high.
Like WBCA All-American Aaliyah Edwards was throughout her senior season, Strong will consistently be fed the ball by her teammates. Most times, the McDonald’s All-American Game co-MVP will be able to finish off several plays in the post and regularly pick up two points. With that two-way prowess, do not be surprised if Strong records multiple double-doubles before Big East play begins.
Now she does have a three-point shot that, when fully developed, could be compared to that of 2023 men’s Final Four Most Outstanding Player Adama Sanogo. During his All-American junior campaign two seasons ago, Sanogo attempted 52 shots from downtown and made 19 of them for a 36.5% clip. Even with that comparison, the two-time North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year should not have to take many shots from behind the arc in her regular-season debut at Mohegan Sun Arena.
Part of that involves the 6-foot-3 center she is competing against. Crooks, an Iowa native, committed to the Cyclones as the No. 57 recruit in ESPN HoopGurlz’ Class of 2023 rankings with a 93 overall grade. She made an immediate impact for Iowa State, scoring 23 points in her second career game on November 12 and crossing double figures 32 times in 33 games.
That included a 40-piece in her March Madness debut versus the No. 10 Maryland Terrapins, where the Honorable Mention All-American converted 18 of her 20 attempts from the floor. Only the late Bill Walton had ever scored 40+ points while shooting better than 90% from the field in an NCAA Tournament contest. Crooks’ career performance was a small part of her team-leading 19.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game for a 21-12 Cyclones team.
The two-time Big 12 Player of the Week collected eight double-doubles throughout her freshman campaign, a number that will only increase next season. All of them came against Power Five competition, including one versus Clark and the then-No. 4 Hawkeyes at home. If three regular-season double-doubles versus ranked foes were not enough, then Crooks’ historic first-round performance very likely propelled herself and Iowa State into national relevancy.
Beyond being as dominant in the paint as Edey was for the Purdue Boilermakers, the First Team All-Big 12 selection is a very efficient shooter. Her 57.7% mark from the floor last season ranked 21st in Division I basketball, ahead of every Husky but Edwards (who shot 59.3%) and WBCA All-American Alissa Pili. For every game that Crooks shot less than 40%, she had at least two where she buried over half of her attempts.
Combine the talents of those two titans together, and it would not be surprising if that women’s showcase matchup becomes a top 10 contest of the season. Both bigs should have next to no issue scoring, whether it is in the paint or elsewhere from the field. Having uber-efficient, pass-heavy guards like Bueckers and Marquette transfer Mackenzie Hare should help complement their attack down low.
UConn’s tenacious defense might be the only reason this duel does not live up to its billing. Throughout Big East play last season, the Huskies consistently shut down an opponent’s leading scorer. From former Villanova Wildcat Lucy Olsen to unanimous All-Big East First Team selection Unique Drake, no star could really muster much offense. Losing Nika Mühl hurts Connecticut’s backcourt defensively, but KK Arnold and Princeton transfer Kaitlyn Chen should have no issues replacing that production.
Although that style may have benefited some opposing forwards, Strong’s presence, combined with graduate student Aubrey Griffin’s return, could make it harder for them to attack the post. If that carries over into non-conference play versus quality opponents, who knows how many points the Huskies allow national superstars like Crooks to score?
Nevertheless, UConn’s non-conference schedule next season features several tough matchups against top-tier competition. While each of those battles is significant, the Huskies’ showdown with the Cyclones will sharpen the most iron. It will do so not only for both programs but also for their franchise centers.
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