Strong Scores 39 as UConn Beats Iowa 91-79
UConn's Sarah Strong broke her own single-game scoring record in a 91-79 win over No. 10 Iowa.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Basketball
Sarah Strong scored 39 points on 15-for-26 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds as UConn women's basketball beat No. 10 Iowa 91-79. The total broke her own single-game scoring record and tied her for sixth on the UConn single-game list.
Why it matters
The performance highlights a standout individual game for the Huskies against a ranked opponent. It also places Strong among the program's top single-game scorers in its history.
Strong shot 15-for-26 from the field and went 6-of-8 in the second quarter, when she scored 20 points and made all four of her three-point attempts. Her 39-point total exceeded her previous career-high of 29 points by 10.
The players
Sarah Strong
Sarah Strong is a UConn women's basketball player who set a new single-game scoring record for the program with 39 points against Iowa.
Nykesha Sales
Nykesha Sales is a former UConn women's basketball star who holds the program's single-game scoring record of 46 points set against Stanford in December 1997.
Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball
Iowa women's basketball is the University of Iowa's program, which was ranked No. 10 when it lost to UConn 91-79.
The details
Strong entered the game with a scowl and a new mentality, hoisting six shots before the first media timeout. She scored 20 points in the second quarter, added seven in the third and six in the fourth, and helped force a turnover before drilling a transition three-pointer just before the first-half buzzer.
Timeline
Nykesha Sales set the UConn single-game record of 46 points against Stanford in December 1997.
Maya Moore recorded 40-point games in 2009 and 2010.
UConn lost a road game to No. 5 Michigan the Thursday before the Iowa win.
Strong scored 39 points against Iowa on Sunday, November 8, 2026.
Season Trajectory
Strong's 39-point effort tied her for sixth on the UConn single-game scoring list, still 7 points short of Nykesha Sales's program record of 46 set against Stanford in December 1997. The performance ranks among the program's top individual scoring games as UConn works through its early-season schedule.
Strong's 39-point game gives UConn a dominant scorer heading into its next matchups. Fans tracking the Huskies' women's basketball season can watch how her output holds against top-ranked competition.
The takeaway
Strong's record-setting scoring night shows how a single player can shift a game against a ranked opponent. Following her production in upcoming contests will show whether the performance marks a sustained change in UConn's offense.
Further reading
For more on the program's recent results, check the Basketball section.
