Women's Fastbreak On SI

Fans At Odds Over Whether Joyce Edwards or Sarah Strong Will Be Better NCAA Freshman

NCAA women's basketball fans can't agree of whether top recruits Joyce Edwards or Sarah Strong will play better this 2024-25 season.
Grant Young|
Apr 2, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; McDonald's All American East forward Joyce Edwards (12) drives to the basket against McDonald's All American West center Me'Arah O’Neal (13) during the first half at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
Apr 2, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; McDonald's All American East forward Joyce Edwards (12) drives to the basket against McDonald's All American West center Me'Arah O’Neal (13) during the first half at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

One of the most exciting aspects about the start of each NCAA women's basketball season is finding out which freshmen are going to make the biggest impact on their respective teams.

South Carolina Gamecocks freshman Joyce Edwards got off to a great start in the defending NCAA champions' 106-63 preseason win over the Memphis Tigers on Tuesday. The 18-year-old finished the game with 19 points and 12 rebounds in less than 18 minutes played off the bench.

While there was some debate about how No. 1-ranked South Carolina would make up for the loss of star center Kamilla Cardoso, it took Edwards one game to make that debate seem moot.

However, there's another fascinating debate to be had: Whether Edwards or UConn freshman Sarah Strong (who was the No. 1 recruit in the 2024 class) is going to be better this season.

On Tuesday, X user @LoLoByke posted, "Who will have the “better” freshman year?

"Joyce Edwards or Sarah Strong

"Both teams are ranked #1 and #2 in preseason rankings & both players were ranked TOP 2 in high school ranking."

This sparked some debate, with one fan writing, "Joyce, and with absolutely zero disrespect to Sarah who is a star and nothing less".

"my guess is sarah strong plays more and will have stronger numbers," added another.

"I like both of their games but I think Joyce a lil more versatile, she loves doing the dirty work," noted a third.

Fans will get to see those two budding freshman superstars face off when Strong's UConn Huskies and Edwards' South Carolina Gamecocks play on February 18, 2025.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

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.

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