Azzi Fudd-Sarah Strong Sideline Exchange Goes Viral During UConn Blowout
While it's still very early in the 2025-26 NCAA season, the UConn Huskies women's basketball team has had no problem overcoming not having Paige Bueckers on the roster.
There were some questions about how UConn would be able to atone for Bueckers' absence once she left for the WNBA. It seemed obvious that they would need to rely on sharpshooter Azzi Fudd stepping into her leadership role while also contributing a lot on offense.
Given how talented Fudd is, it was safe to assume she'd have no problem with the scoring aspect of that. It was also safe to assume that forward Sarah Strong would pick up right where she left off after her stellar freshman season last year, which was a key part of the Huskies capturing the 2025 NCAA national championship.
Both Fudd and Strong have held up their end of the bargain when it comes to scoring. This was especially apparent during UConn's 99-67 rout over the Florida State Seminoles on November 9, where these two combined for 44 points (23 for Fudd and 21 for Strong) while Strong added 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks, and Fudd contributed 5 assists and 2 steals.
Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong UConn Bench Bickering Turns Heads
Fudd's constant bickering with Paige Bueckers last season was one of the funniest aspects of UConn's team to follow. However, now that Bueckers is gone, Fudd needs someone else to bicker and banter with.
It seems she has found her sparring partner in Strong, given that the FS1 broadcast of Sunday's UConn vs. Florida State game caught Fudd and Strong grappling with each other in a hilarious way on the bench.
Strong seemed to be trying to annoy Fudd by grabbing at either her ponytail or her ear. This prompted Fudd to grab Strong's hand and shove it away (playfully). Then the two shared some more words before seemingly moving on, which caused the camera to do the same.
X account @NotDanHurley posted a video of this exchange, which has already gone viral, amassing over 1.1 million views in about 18 hours.
He’s lost control. They’re fighting on the bench. #FireGeno pic.twitter.com/cLMXLWobfZ
— Not Dan Hurley (@NotDanHurley) November 9, 2025
This bench exchange should make UConn fans feel like the chemistry and camaraderie between their team's top players are in a great spot right now, and vibes seem to be high for the Huskies overall.
UConn's next test on the court should be when the Huskies face the No.13-ranked Michigan Wolverines on November 21.
Recommended Reading:
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.
Follow GrvntYoung