Angel Reese gives 4-word shoutout to Sarah Strong’s big-time performance against UCLA 

From one former NCAA star to another, Angel Reese gave props to UConn freshman Sarah Strong, who made a huge impact in Friday’s win over UCLA that sent the Huskies to the national title game. Strong became just the third freshman in UConn history to score at least 20 points in a Final Four matchup.

Strong led the charge with a team-best 22 points — 10 of which came in the third quarter — alongside eight rebounds, helping power UConn to a commanding 85-51 victory.

Impressed by her performance, Angel Reese gave Strong a shoutout on X (formerly Twitter), posting:

“Sarah Strong so tough!”

With Paige Bueckers limited to just 12 points after posting three straight 30-point games, Strong took over offensively. Azzi Fudd also helped set the tone early with 19 points in the first half.

The Huskies shot an impressive 55.0% and hit 43.8% from beyond the arc. They committed just seven turnovers and edged out UCLA on the boards, 34-29.

For the Bruins, Lauren Betts led the way with 26 points and five rebounds, but it wasn’t enough. UCLA shot just 38.5% overall and 25.0% from deep, while coughing up 19 turnovers.

UConn now advances to face the South Carolina Gamecocks in the national championship game on Sunday at 3 p.m.

Angel Reese’s brother Julian exits March Madness after Sweet 16 loss

Angel Reese’s brother, Julian Reese, also made a March Madness appearance, helping the Maryland Terrapins reach the Sweet 16, where they matched up against the Florida Gators.

That run came to an end with an 87-71 loss on March 27. Still, Angel was in the stands showing support, wearing a shirt that read “JuJu Sister” with his No. 10 printed on the back. Julian put up 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the loss.

After the game, Angel shared her emotions on X:

“That game stressed me out man 🥲”

Before Maryland’s tournament exit, Julian hit a major milestone — becoming just the second player in Terrapins men’s basketball history to notch 1,000 career rebounds.

READ: Angel Reese drops 1-word reaction to brother Julian Reese’s remarkable college achievement

He joined only one other Maryland great, Len Elmore, who reached that mark in the 1970s while averaging a double-double before moving on to careers in the ABA and NBA.

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback

About the author

” data-lazy=”https://keedag.sportskeeda.com/user-pic/1253811-1730125987-200.jpg?w=200″
alt=”John Ezekiel Hirro” height=”72″ width=”72″>

John Ezekiel Hirro is an experienced NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda, with over five years in the field as a news correspondent, sports writer, and Editor-in-Chief. His sports writing career began in high school, where he garnered numerous accolades, including being named the national sports writing champion in 2016.

He earned his journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines in 2024 and served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Varsitarian, the university’s official student publication, for four years—the longest in history.

A passionate basketball enthusiast, he became a fan of the OKC Thunder during the Russ-KD-Harden era. Russell Westbrook, his all-time favorite athlete, impressed him by stepping up as MVP after Kevin Durant’s departure. His current favorite players include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, who he believes are the future of the OKC franchise.

He excels in game analysis and rapid news story turnaround, drawing inspiration from the journalistic styles of Woj and Shams. He emphasizes thorough research to ensure accuracy in his articles. One of his most memorable moments is Russell Westbrook breaking Oscar Robertson’s record with his 42nd triple-double and securing a 106-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Outside of writing, he enjoys listening to music and creating Spotify playlists.

Know More

Edited by John Ezekiel Hirro