UConn wins 24th Big East Tournament title with dominant victory over Villanova, extends winning streak

The No. 1 ranked UConn Huskies sealed their 24th Big East Tournament championship with a dominant 90-51 victory over Villanova on Monday night in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Senior guard Azzi Fudd scored 19 points while Sarah Strong added 18 to lead the Huskies, who controlled the game from the beginning nd never let Villanova get comfortable.

The win marked the 50th straight victory for UConn who are also the defending national champions. It is also the 11th time in program history that the Huskies will enter the NCAA Tournament without a loss. UConn has now won every Big East Tournament since returning to the conference in 2021.

Fudd said the team is proud of what it has achieved but knows the bigger goal is still ahead. “I think it’s a great accomplishment what we’ve been able to achieve so far this year,” she said.

UConn set the tone early in the championship game. Strong, who was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, helped the Huskies build a 23-11 lead after the first quarter. UConn’s defense also slowed Villanova’s offense and forced them out of rhythm.

The lead grew quickly in the second quarter. Fudd and freshman Blanca Quinonez helped stretch the margin, and the Huskies went into halftime comfortably ahead 49-23. Strong scored 15 points in the first half while Fudd added 11.

The second half was more of the same as UConn kept extending the gap. With the game already decided, coach Geno Auriemma rested his starters in the fourth quarter.

Villanova finished the game 25-7 and now waits to see its position in the NCAA Tournament bracket. Jasmine Bascoe led the Wildcats with 14 points.

Villanova coach Denise Dillon said her team still feels confident about its season. “We did what we needed to do to build that resume,” she said.

A late 3-pointer by Kelsey Joens prevented the game from becoming the largest loss ever in a Big East championship. UConn had previously won a conference final by 42 points in 2002.

The conference also confirmed during the game that the Big East Tournament will continue to be played at Mohegan Sun Arena through 2029. UConn will now turn its attention to March Madness, where the Huskies are expected to be a No. 1 seed and are six wins away from a record 13th national title.