Box Score | UConn Quotes | Villanova Quotes | Highlights
UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Evina Westbrook had 13 points and Aaliyah Edwards added 12 points, six rebounds and two steals while spending much of her 31 minutes guarding BIG EAST Player of the Year Maddy Siegrist as top-seeded UConn rolled past No. 2 seed Villanova 70-40 on Monday in the championship game of the BIG EAST Tournament at Mohegan Sun Arena.
UConn, which won its second straight Big East title and ninth straight conference tournament, jumped out to a 9-0 lead thanks to a pair of baskets by Azzi Fudd and a 3-pointer by Christyn Williams, the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. It was UConn's 20th Big East Tournament championship.
"This is one is my favorite, my favorite championship," Williams said after the game.
Siegrist made a 3-pointer, her only field goal in the first quarter, and a runner by Lucy Olsen to cut the lead to five late in the opening quarter.
Caroline Ducharme had UConn's first three baskets of the second quarter to give the Huskies their first double-digit lead of the game.
The Huskies made seven of nine shots over a five-minute stretch while Siegrist did her best to try to keep Villanova close as she had the last three Villanova baskets of the second quarter. Even with her late surge, UConn led 33-18 at halftime.
A Siegrist layup and a 3-pointer by Brianna Herlihy pulled Villanova within 11 early in the third quarter but Edwards scored six points as the Huskies scored 15 of the last 18 points of the third quarter.
Olivia Nelson-Ododa had 11 points, five rebounds and four assists. Williams, Caroline Ducharme and Azzi Fudd had nine points each for UConn (26-5).
Siegrist had 16 points for Villanova (23-8) which snapped UConn's 169-game conference winning streak when the teams met on February 9.
Williams was joined on the All-Tournament team by Edwards, Westbrook, Siegrist, Seton Hall's Lauren Park-Lane and Karissa McLaughlin on the all-tournament team.
BIG EAST Tournament Most Outstanding Player
Christyn Williams, UConn
All-Tournament Team
Aaliyah Edwards, UConn
Evina Westbrook, UConn
Maddy Siegrist, Villanova
Lauren Park-Lane, Seton Hall
Karissa McLaughlin, Marquette
2022 BIG EAST Women's Basketball Tournament presented by Jeep
Mohegan Sun Arena – Uncasville, Conn.
March 4 - First Round
Game 1: No. 9 seed Georgetown 68, No. 8 seed Providence 55
Game 2: No. 7 seed St. John's 76, No. 10 seed Xavier 69
Game 3: No. 6 seed Seton Hall 58, No. 11 seed Butler 39
March 5 - Quarterfinals
Game 4: No. 1 seed UConn 84, No. 9 seed Georgetown 38
Game 5: No. 5 seed Marquette 105, No. 4 seed DePaul 85
Game 6: No. 2 seed Villanova 76, No. 7 seed St. John's 52
Game 7: No. 6 seed Seton Hall 66, No. 3 seed Creighton 65
March 6 - Semifinals
Game 8: No. 1 seed UConn 71, No. 5 seed Marquette 51
Game 9: No. 2 seed Villanova 64, No. 6 seed Seton Hall 55
March 7 - Final
Game 10: No. 1 seed UConn 70, No. 2 seed Villanova 40