UConn Women’s Basketball Frontcourt Shines Under Geno Auriemma’s Guidance
The UConn women’s basketball team is seeing a real shakeup in their frontcourt. Redshirt sophomore Jana El Alfy is at the heart of it. Head coach Geno Auriemma, who’s seen it all, admits he’s genuinely surprised by how much El Alfy’s stepped up after the holiday break.
El Alfy’s progress isn’t just a nice story—it’s changing the way the team plays. If you want the deep dive, check out the full article here.
Jana El Alfy’s Impressive Transformation
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Since coming back from the holidays, El Alfy has looked like a different player. She’s scored in double digits for three games straight, which just wasn’t happening earlier in the season.
Her energy in the paint stands out. Suddenly, she’s a force you can’t ignore.
Statistical Improvement
Before winter break, El Alfy averaged 3.8 points and 3.4 rebounds in 10 minutes per game. Lately, those numbers have jumped to 9.6 points and 4.7 rebounds in 17.3 minutes.
Her field goal percentage jumped by 15.5%. She’s also dished out six assists in the last three games—almost as many as she had before the break all season long.
Geno Auriemma’s Strategic Adjustments
Auriemma’s been tinkering with his lineups, clearly trying to get the most out of a suddenly deeper frontcourt. Normally, he leans toward smaller, more mobile lineups, but El Alfy’s play has nudged him to try bigger looks.
Successful Lineup Combinations
The Huskies have tested out lineups with three bigs—El Alfy, Serah Williams, and Blanca Quinonez. Against Seton Hall, this combo worked wonders.
That trio, plus Strong, forced six turnovers and outscored Seton Hall 13-4 in just four and a half minutes. Not bad at all.
Impact of Sarah Strong’s 3-Point Shooting
Sophomore forward Sarah Strong has been on a tear from deep. She’s hit at least three threes in four of the last five games.
Her shooting percentage? A ridiculous 60% on five shots a game since the break. That’s the kind of hot streak that changes games.
Floor Spacing and Offensive Versatility
With Strong and Quinonez both shooting over 40% from three, UConn can play two true post players like Williams and El Alfy. The floor still feels open.
This lets the team mix things up offensively and find mismatches. It’s a luxury not every team has.
Building Confidence and Team Chemistry
El Alfy’s leap has given her a real shot of confidence. The coaches are trusting her more, and it shows.
She’s more assertive in practice, and you can see the frontcourt players starting to click. Those little things add up.
Conclusion
The UConn women’s basketball team is going through a big transformation in their frontcourt. Jana El Alfy keeps impressing, and head coach Geno Auriemma has made some clever adjustments.
Sarah Strong’s 3-point shooting looks sharper than ever. The team has also tried out bigger lineups, and honestly, it’s working out pretty well.
If you’re curious and want more details on UConn’s frontcourt changes, check out the full article here.