WBB Notes - 2.9.21
Bueckers Does It Again
Paige Bueckers became the first player in UConn history to record three straight 30-point outings as the rookie notched 31 points, including yet another clutch three-pointer with time expiring, to lead the Huskies to an overtime win over No. 1/1 South Carolina on Monday night. Bueckers scored all of the Huskies' nine points in overtime, including the game-clinching three-pointer which gave UConn a four-point lead with 10 seconds to play. She added six steals, five assists and four rebounds. The Huskies improved to 22-3 all-time in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup, including a 7-1 record as the No. 2 ranked team in the country. It marked the first time a BIG EAST team knocked off the nation’s top-ranked squad in regular-season, non-conference play since UConn upset No. 1/1 Stanford, 61-35, on Dec. 29, 2012, on the Cardinal’s home court. The U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) announced on Tuesday afternoon that Bueckers was the National Freshman of the Week for a third straight week.
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New Number 1
Following the win over No. 1/1 South Carolina on Monday night, UConn rose four spots in Tuesday’s USA Today Coaches Poll to No. 1. It marks the first time since Jan. 7, 2020, that the Huskies sit atop the Coaches Poll. UConn remains No. 2 in the AP Poll, which is updated on Mondays. DePaul, which has also been ranked every week of this season, landed at No. 22 in both national polls this week.
 
Wednesday’s Why We’re Watching …
Butler at Marquette (2 p.m. ET, BEDN): These two met just over two weeks ago in Indy, with the Golden Eagles scoring a 95-57 victory thanks to a balanced scoring attack and .623 shooting. Both teams will look to end skids, with MU dropping its last two outings, albeit to No. 22 DePaul and No. 2 UConn, and the Bulldogs winless over their last five. Jaia Alexander had her best game of the season when Butler faced Marquette, leading the Bulldogs with 22 points. Meanwhile Marquette’s Lauren Van Kleunen has had the hot hand, averaging 19.5 points against the Blue Demons and Huskies.
Seton Hall at 2/1 UConn (6:30 p.m., SNY): A battle of first- and second-place teams in the BIG EAST standings as the Pirates travel to Storrs. Just eight points separated these two at halftime of their first meeting this season on Dec. 15 before the Huskies erupted for a 33-point third quarter to pull away. The Hall’s Lauren Park-Lane shined in that contest, going off for a game-high 29 points. Park-Lane and the Pirates will look to cool down the BIG EAST’s hottest player right now, Paige Bueckers, who has reached the 30-point mark in three straight games.
22/22 DePaul at St. John’s (6:30 p.m., FS2): Leilani Correa had her lowest scoring game of the season against DePaul back on Jan. 13, and safe to say the St. John’s sophomore guard won’t have a repeat performance of that. Correa ranks third in the BIG EAST in scoring at 20.9 points per game, but DePaul’s Sonya Morris is just behind her in fourth with 18.6 points per contest. St. John’s will look to limit the turnovers which hurt them last time, but the Blue Demons rank sixth nationally, forcing 23.21 miscues per contest. The Blue Demons are currently tied for second place in the BIG EAST standings with Seton Hall.
Providence at Creighton (7 p.m., BEDN): Friars-Bluejays has become one of the most tightly contested series in the BIG EAST over the last three seasons. Of the last five meetings, four have been decided by single digits, including one in double-overtime. Creighton has won the last three by an average of just 7.7 points. The Friars have played just once in the past month, falling at Villanova last Wednesday, while the Bluejays have been similarly quiet, playing just twice in the past month, including last Monday’s setback to Marquette.
 
This Week In The BIG EAST
Wednesday
BUTLER at MARQUETTE, 2 p.m.*
SETON HALL at 2/1 UCONN, 6:30 p.m.^
22/22 DePAUL at ST. JOHN’S, 6:30 p.m.!
PROVIDENCE at CREIGHTON, 7 p.m.*
Friday
2/1 UCONN at GEORGETOWN, 6 p.m.&
Saturday
MARQUETTE at PROVIDENCE, 1 p.m.*
ST. JOHN’S at BUTLER, 1 p.m.*
CREIGHTON at SETON HALL, 1 p.m.*
All Times Eastern
BIG EAST game in CAPS
*-BEDN
^-SNY
!-FS2
&-CBSSN