The accolades keep rolling in for Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong as they continue anchoring the undefeated UConn women’s basketball team down the stretch of the regular season.
Both of the Huskies’ superstars were named to the Naismith Trophy’s 30-player late-season team, marking the second national player of the year shortlist to feature the duo after both were named to the top 20 for the Wooden Award last week. Fudd is in the top 10 for Ann Meyers Drysdale Award given to the nation’s best shooting guard, and Strong made the top 10 for the Katrina McClain Award give to the top power forward.
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Strong has been the overwhelming favorite to win the Naismith Trophy for most of the season, currently leading the No. 1 Huskies in every statistical category except assists. The sophomore phenom is averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 3.2 steals and 1.6 blocks. She has the highest field goal percentage on the team shooting 59.1%, and she averages 39.6% from 3-point range plus 90.5% on free throws. Strong is also the star of UConn’s prolific defense, leading the country defensive rating, defensive box plus/minus and defensive win shares.
Fudd is having the best season of her career in her redshirt senior season, averaging 17.8 points, three assists, 2.6 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game. Like Strong, the star guard is also flirting with 50/40/90 shooting splits, currently hitting 49.5% from the field, 46.3% on 3-pointers and 94.9% at the free throw line. She ranks sixth in the country in made 3-pointers and in 3-point percentage, and she has the highest percentage of any player with at least 80 makes from the perimeter. On top of her offensive production, Fudd ranks fourth nationally in defensive win shares and ninth in defensive rating.
Seven UConn players have won the Naismith Trophy since it was established for women’s basketball in 1983. The most recent winner was Paige Bueckers, who became the first freshman to earn the award in 2021. Strong could become the sixth sophomore ever to win the Naismith Trophy, joining Breanna Stewart and Maya Moore as the only Huskies to earn the accolade in their second seasons.
The Naismith Trophy will narrow down 10 semifinalists on March 13, then shorten the list to four finalists on March 25. The award winner will be announced April 2, the day before the Final Four tips off.
