March 9, 2026; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies forward Sarah Strong (21), guard Kk Arnold (2), guard Blanca Quinonez (4), guard Azzi Fudd (35) and guard Ashlynn Shade (12) react after making a basket and a goal in the first half against the Villanova Wildcats at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images Azzi Fudd scored 19 points, Sarah Strong had 18 and No. 1 UConn’s undefeated season continued with a 90-51 win over No. 2 Villanova in the Big East Tournament championship Monday night 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 marks UConn’s sixth consecutive Big East tournament title and 31st conference tournament win overall.
Fudd hit three 3-pointers and had three steals, while Strong, who was voted the Big East Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, had eight rebounds, two steals, a block and an assist. Blanca Quinones added 13 points in an effort off the bench, while KK Arnold had 10 points, seven assists, four rebounds and three steals.
UConn’s win snapped a 50-game winning streak dating to last season.
Jasmine Bascoe paced the Wildcats (25-7) with 14 points, five rebounds, four steals and two assists.
UConn outscored Villanova 23-11 in the first quarter and led wire-to-wire. The Wildcats shot 27 percent from the floor, their worst mark of the season, and that also came in a regular-season game against UConn on Jan. 15.
The Huskies held a 49-34 advantage in rebounds and had 21 fast-break points from Villanova. UConn outscored the Wildcats in the paint 48-18.
UConn and Villanova will likely be the Big East’s only representatives in the NCAA Tournament. The Huskies are widely projected to be the No. 1 seed overall, while the Wildcats are projected as a No. 8 seed by ESPN and a No. 9 seed by USA Today’s Bracketology.
UConn enters March Madness with the 11th perfect record in program history. The Huskies are seeking their 13th national championship in Phoenix, Arizona.
–Field level media
