03/09/26 08:01:00
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03/09 19:59 CDT No. 1 UConn wins its 24th Big East Tournament title, routing
Villanova 90-51
No. 1 UConn wins its 24th Big East Tournament title, routing Villanova 90-51
By DOUG FEINBERG
AP Basketball Writer
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) --- Azzi Fudd scored 19 points and Sarah Strong added 18
as No. 1 UConn rolled to its 24th Big East Tournament championship, beating
Villanova 90-51 on Monday night.
It was the 50th consecutive win for the defending national champion Huskies
(34-0), who enter the women's NCAA Tournament undefeated for the 11th time in
their storied history. The Huskies own four of the five longest winning streaks
in Division I, including a record 111-game run.
The Huskies are six wins away from a record 13th national title. They'll be a
No. 1 seed when the March Madness bracket is released Sunday. UConn has won all
six Big East Tournament titles since the Huskies rejoined the conference in
2021.
The two teams met a few weeks ago and Villanova actually led UConn at halftime
of that game. The Huskies didn't let that happen again. They took a quick lead
behind Strong --- who was named the tournament's Most Outsanding Player --- and
were up 23-11 after the opening quarter.
Fudd and Blanca Quinonez helped extend the margin to 49-23 at the break. Strong
had 15 points in the opening half. Fudd added 11.
The lead ballooned in the second half and coach Geno Auriemma rested his
starters in the fourth quarter.
Villanova (25-7) now will wait to see where it's placed in the NCAA field.
Jasmine Bascoe led the Wildcats with 14 points.
A 3-pointer by Kelsey Joens with just a few seconds left helped Villanova avoid
matching the worst loss in Big East final history. UConn beat Boston College by
42 points in 2002.
The tournament was played at Mohegan Sun Arena, and the conference announced
during the game it will continue to play there through 2029.
___
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