UConn Women’s Basketball Claims Fifth Straight Big East Title

HARTFORD, Conn. — The No. 5 University of Connecticut Huskies secured their fifth consecutive Big East regular-season title Thursday night with a commanding 72-53 victory over No. 22 Creighton. UConn‘s victory, marked by a strong second half, showcased the skill of freshman Sarah Strong, who led the team with 22 points and nine rebounds.

Paige Bueckers contributed significantly as well, posting 15 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. The Huskies improved their season record to 27-3 overall and completed a perfect 17-0 run in the Big East Conference. This win also extended UConn’s impressive streak to 37 consecutive regular-season conference victories.

“It’s certainly much different. It’s a different time, a different era, so there’s different factors involved,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “The one constant when you have longevity has to do with the ability to get the kind of players that play at a high level and can fit in here.”

The game started slowly for the Huskies, who found themselves trailing as Creighton scored the first eight points. However, it was a jumper by Azzi Fudd late in the first quarter that ignited a UConn rally, allowing them to take the lead and head into halftime with a 38-22 advantage.

The turning point came in the second quarter when UConn outscored Creighton 27-12, fueled by the team’s defensive efforts that forced 19 turnovers throughout the game. Strong’s contributions were particularly crucial during this stretch, as she finished with nine points on perfect shooting in that quarter.

“I think we’ve come a long way in terms of our communication and the way we talk and help each other,” Bueckers said. “Creighton runs a lot of action that forces you to talk and if you don’t, they maximize on your mistakes.”

Strong, who averages 16.1 points per game, has been a standout against Creighton, racking up 48 points in two outings this season.

The win marked UConn’s 31st regular-season conference championship and their 12th straight title in the Big East. The Huskies can potentially go undefeated in conference play for the 18th time in program history with an upcoming match against Marquette.

Creighton, currently the No. 2 seed in the Big East tournament, will look to regroup as they prepare for their next game. Morgan Maly was the standout for the Bluejays with 11 points.

As the tournament approaches, UConn maintains their focus on both the Big East and the national championship goals, but Auriemma emphasized the importance of each victory, stating, “I don’t want it to all of a sudden be it’s national championship or bust at UConn. Winning a regular season championship does matter, and we’ve always made it matter.”