UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Top-ranked and top-seeded UConn won the 2021 BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Tournament presented by Jeep Monday night at Mohegan Sun Arena, defeating second-seeded Marquette 73-39. Paige Bueckers was named the Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after averaging 19.3 points, 5.0 assists and 4.3 rebounds over the three wins. The title is the Huskies’ 19^th in BIG EAST history and first since 2012.
 
Fellow Huskies Christyn Williams (18.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg) and Olivia Nelson-Ododa (9.3 ppg, 8.3 ppg, 4.0 apg, 1.7 bpg) were named to the All-Tournament Team, along with Creighton’s Temi Carda who led the sixth-seeded Bluejays to the semifinals with the tournament’s top scoring average (23.0), and Villanova’s Maddy Siegrist, who dropped a 2021 tournament single-game high 30 points in the quarterfinal upset win for the Wildcats. Marquette’s Lauren Van Kleunen also earned a spot on the all-tourney team, averaging 13.0 points and 5.7 boards to lead her team to the title game.
 
UConn needed just 16 seconds to score its first basket of the game and led the rest of the way, setting the tone early with a 29-10 lead after the first quarter. The Huskies shot 70.6 percent in that opening frame, including a perfect 4-for-4 mark from Williams. Marquette outscored UConn 13-12 in the second quarter to close within 41-23 at the half. The Huskies defense hunkered down over the final 20 minutes, however, holding Marquette to 16 points over the final two quarters.
 
Bueckers finished with a game-high 23 points off 10-of-15 shooting, adding six boards, four assists and two seals. Williams (16) and Nika Muhl (11) joined her in double figures. Camryn Taylor posted a Marquette-high 11 points as the Golden Eagles suffered from uncharacteristically poor shooting, making just 29-percent of their attempts despite entering the game ranked 17^th nationally in field goal percentage with a 46.6 season clip. UConn finished the night shooting 50 percent, their 17^th game this season of making at least half their attempts. The Huskies also edged Marquette on the glass, 39-35.
 
The Huskies’ 34-point win is the fourth-largest margin of victory in the title game, and largest since they scored a 75-36 win over Louisville in the 2009 final. The Huskies +38.3 scoring margin over the three-game run is the second-largest in tournament history following their own +38.7 margin in 2002.
 
UConn (24-1) earns the BIG EAST’s automatic bid into the 2021 NCAA Tournament. Marquette (19-6) will aim for an at-large bid during next Monday’s Selection Show, set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. Additional BIG EAST postseason contenders include Seton Hall (14-7), DePaul (14-8) and Villanova (15-6).
 
Box Score| Quotes | MU Press | UConn Press (Coach) | UConn Press (Players) | Highlights
 
BIG EAST Tournament Most Outstanding Player
Paige Bueckers, UConn
 
All-Tournament Team
Christyn Williams, UConn
Olivia Nelson-Ododa, UConn
Lauren Van Kleunen, Marquette
Maddy Siegrist, Villanova
Temi Carda, Creighton
 
2021 BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Tournament presented by Jeep
Mohegan Sun Arena – Uncasville, Conn.
March 5 – First Round
Game 1: 8 seed St. John’s 65, 9 seed Xavier 57 (BEDN on FloSports)
Game 2: 7 seed Providence 63, 10 seed Butler 61 (BEDN on FloSports)
Game 3: 6 seed Creighton 56, 11 seed Georgetown 42 (BEDN on FloSports)
March 6 – Quarterfinals
Game 4: 1 seed UConn 77, 8 seed St. John’s 41 (FS1)
Game 5: 5 seed Villanova 78, 4 seed DePaul 72 OT (FS2)
Game 6:  2 seed Marquette 68, 7 seed Providence 43 (FS2)
Game 7: 6 seed Creighton 83, 3 seed Seton Hall 76 (FS2)
March 7 – Semifinals
Game 8: 1 seed UConn 84, 5 seed Villanova 39 (FS1)
Game 9: 2 seed Marquette 64, 6 seed Creighton 59 (FS1)
March 8 - Final
Game 10: 1 seed UConn 73, 2 seed Marquette 39 (FS1)