Sarah Strong has been arguably the best freshman in college basketball all season long. The forward from Fuquay-Varina, N.C. has been one of the main catalysts for the UConn Huskies this season, who won the Big East regular season title and are currently ranked No. 3 in the country.
She has played in and started all 31 contests for Geno Auriemma's squad, and she is filling up the stat sheet. With a stat line of 16.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.4 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game, it is fairly obvious that there isn't much on a basketball court that Strong cannot do.
Strong has scored in double figures in all but three contests and has six double-doubles on the season. She also has eight contests where she has recorded two or more of every statistic, which is an incredible feat for any player, especially a young one.
The Big East Conference Awards were released on Thursday morning and not only was Strong the unanimous Freshman of the Year, but she was a unanimous First-Team All-Conference selection. Strong is not the only freshman who has been dominating the college basketball landscape this season, however, as several players are right on her tail.
Who could win Freshman of the Year over Sara Strong?
While Strong has been a dominant first-year player on one of the nation's best teams, there are several other freshmen who have dominated in their own right this season and are worthy of consideration for the Freshman of the Year Award.
1. Mikayla Blakes, G, Vanderbilt
Mikayla Blakes has the best chance of dethroning Sarah Strong for the Award as she just won the SEC Freshman of the Year honor. Her numbers are far more impressive at 23.3 points per game, which is sixth in the country, as well as 3.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.5 steals per contest. She has scored in double figures in all but one game and has two outbursts of 50 points or more. When she gets hot from long range, there is no stopping the 5-foot-8 freshman from Somerset, N.J. If her Vanderbilt team was slightly better, she would be a no-brainer for the honor, but the Commodores are 21-9 and received no votes for the national rankings.
2. Joyce Edwards, F, South Carolina
Joyce Edwards has been a key cog for No. 5 ranked South Carolina this season. While she has only started one game all year, she is playing just over 21 minutes per contest and averaging 13.0 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. She is also a solid defender and an efficient scorer, so she is the kind of player that just makes the team better. When the Gamecocks won games against five straight nationally ranked opponents at the end of January, Edwards was as steady as they come. She scored in double figures for each of the five contests, including a 21-point game on the road against Alabama. She, like Strong, is a major contributor for one of the country's best teams and should be highly considered.
3. Delaney Gibb, G, BYU
Gibb, a 5-foot-10 freshman guard from Raymond, Alberta, has been a pleasant surprise for BYU this season. Ranked outside of the top 75 as a recruit by ESPN, Gibb just earned the Big 12 Freshman of the Year Award after an outstanding first year for the Cougars. Despite the team's lack of success, Gibb has contributed 17.4 points per game, as well as 5.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.6 steals. The do-it-all-guard had a 36-point, 10-rebound double-double against rival Utah last week and flirted with a triple-double the week before against Arizona State. If her team was better, she would have a more legitimate shot of taking down Strong for the award, but regardless, the future of BYU basketball is in good hands with Gibb at the helm.