Azzi Fudd scored 19 points and Sarah Strong netted 18 as No. 1 UConn’s undefeated season continued with a 90-51 victory Monday night over No. 2 Villanova in the Big East Tournament Championship in Uncasville, Conn.
The Huskies (34-0) have dominated the Big East since rejoining the league ahead of the 2020-21 season after spending seven years in the AAC. This marked UConn’s sixth consecutive Big East Tournament title and its 31st conference tournament championship overall.
Fudd knocked down a trio of 3-pointers and also tallied three steals, while Strong — voted the Most Outstanding Player at the Big East Tournament — collected eight rebounds, two steals, a block and an assist. Blanca Quinonez added 13 points in an off-the-bench effort, while KK Arnold notched 10 points, seven assists, four rebounds and three steals.
The win for UConn marked its 50th consecutive victory in a streak that began last season.
Jasmine Bascoe paced the Wildcats (25-7) with 14 points, five rebounds, four steals and two assists.
UConn led wire-to-wire after outscoring Villanova 23-11 in the first quarter. The Wildcats shot just 27% from the floor, tied for their worst mark of the season, which also came against UConn in the regular season Jan. 15.
The Huskies held a 49-34 advantage in rebounding and scored 21 fast-break points to just two from Villanova. UConn outscored the Wildcats in the paint 48-18.
It’s likely that UConn and Villanova will be the Big East’s lone representatives in the NCAA Tournament. The Huskies are widely projected to be the overall No. 1 seed, while the Wildcats are predicted to be a No. 8 seed by ESPN and a No. 9 seed by USA Today in their bracketologies.
For the 11th time in program history, UConn will enter March Madness with a perfect record. The Huskies are seeking their 13th national championship in Phoenix, Arizona.
–Field Level Media
