UConn Women’s Basketball Escapes Villanova with 83-69 Victory, Clinches Sixth Straight Big East Title

Villanova, Pa. – The UConn women’s basketball team secured its sixth consecutive Big East regular-season championship with an 83-69 victory over Villanova on Wednesday night at Finneran Pavilion. Despite a slow start and a halftime deficit – their first against a Big East opponent since February 2023 – the Huskies rallied behind stellar performances from Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong.

First-Half Struggles for UConn

UConn found themselves trailing at halftime, 39-38, marking only the second time this season they haven’t led at the break. The Huskies committed 12 first-half turnovers, exceeding their total from 12 complete games earlier in the year. Shooting woes plagued UConn, particularly in the second quarter where they went more than four minutes without a field goal.

Villanova’s Jasmine Bascoe led all scorers in the first half with 18 points, even as UConn relied heavily on Fudd, who scored 13 of their first-half points.

Second-Half Surge Seals the Win

UConn emerged from halftime with renewed aggression, opening the third quarter with a 9-2 run sparked by a 3-pointer from Fudd. Despite a brief scare when Strong picked up her third and fourth fouls within seconds, the Huskies outscored Villanova by 14 points in the third quarter.

The fourth quarter saw UConn pull away decisively with a 13-2 run, fueled by Strong and Fudd, who combined for 18 of the team’s 20 points in the final frame. UConn finished the game with 28 points off 26 forced turnovers, limiting Villanova to just four 3-pointers in the second half.

Star Performances Lead the Way

Azzi Fudd led UConn with 25 points, shooting 55.6% from the field and 4-for-6 from beyond the arc. Sarah Strong recorded her seventh double-double of the season with 21 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, five steals, and three blocks. Ashlynn Shade also contributed with 13 points, six rebounds, five assists, and a steal.

Villanova’s Strong Showing

Despite the loss, Villanova received a strong performance from Jasmine Bascoe, who finished with a game-high 26 points – the highest-scoring performance by a Big East player against UConn this season. Denae Carter added a career-high 21 points for the Wildcats.

Auriemma Reflects on a Big East Battle

“It was the kind of game you used to play back in the ancient days in the Big East,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “They didn’t play the way they normally play, which is a credit to Denise and her coaching staff… I think they made a concerted effort to play more one-on-one and try to beat us off the dribble and get in the lane hoping we help, which we did, and then kick it out.”

UConn Continues Dominance

With this win, UConn improves to 28-0 on the season and 17-0 in the Big East, extending their streak of consecutive regular-season conference titles to 13, including seven years in the American Athletic Conference.