Strong Earns Spot On McClain Award Top 10 Candidate List
UConn sophomore forward Sarah Strong was named a top-10 candidate for the 2026 Katrina McClain Award, announced by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. The award recognizes the top power forwards in women’s NCAA DI college basketball. Strong leads UConn in points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals this season and is currently averaging a .601/.394/.909 shooting split.
 
Williams Named Leslie Award Top 10 Candidate
Husky senior Serah Williams was named a top-10 candidate for the 2026 Lisa Leslie Award, as announced by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and WBCA. The award recognizes the top centers in DI women’s college basketball. Williams is second on the team in rebounds and blocks. She has compiled 1,663 career points and 889 career rebounds. 
 
Stat Leaders Around the BIG EAST 
* Creighton freshman Neleigh Gessert is fourth in the nation for 3-pointers per game (3.13).
* UConn’s Sarah Strong paces the league in scoring (19.21), field-goal percentage (.601) and steals per game (3.38), to go with 11 20-point performances.
* Marquette’s Halle Vice leads the BIG EAST in rebounds per game (9.09) and double-doubles (10). Teammate Skylar Forbes is first in the BIG EAST, averaging 1.95 a game.
* Seton Hall’s Savannah Catalon leads the BIG EAST in free-throw percentage (.890), good for 21st in the NCAA.
* St. John’s 5.00 blocks per game is first in the league, followed by Marquette (4.96) and UConn (4.92).
* The Huskies lead the BIG EAST in multiple categories: scoring offense (90.25), scoring defense (50.67), scoring margin (+39.58), field-goal percentage (.533), rebounding margin (+6.08), assists (24.67), steals (15.75), and assist/turnover ratio (1.89).
 
BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Weekly Awards (2.2)
UConn sophomore guard Allie Ziebell collected her first BIG EAST Player of the Week honor of the season. Ziebell averaged 22.0 points on a .667/.632/.800 shooting split in wins over Xavier and No. 15 Tennessee. Creighton freshman guard Neleigh Gessert earned her second BIG EAST Freshman of the Week. Gessert averaged 16.5 points in a 2-0 week against St. John’s and Seton Hall. Gessert started the week with 17 points on 46% shooting in the team’s 81-51 win over St. John’s.

BIG EAST to Provide Public Availability Reports for Men's and Women's Basketball
Beginning in the 2025-26 season, the BIG EAST Conference will provide public reports on the availability of student-athletes in conference games for men's and women's basketball. BIG EAST schools will be required to submit these reports three hours before the scheduled tipoff. Under this reporting system, players will be designated as "questionable" or "out.” Availability reports will be posted on the BIG EAST website throughout the 2025-26 season. Women's Basketball Availability Reports
 
#BEwbb Schedule
 
Saturday, February 7
Butler at #1 UConn, Noon Stats | FS1
Seton Hall at St. John’s, 2 p.m. Stats | ESPN+
Georgetown at Villanova, 2 p.m. Stats | ESPN+
 
Sunday, February 8
Xavier at Providence, 1 p.m. Stats | ESPN+
Marquette at Creighton, 1 p.m. Stats | FS1
 
* Conference game
All Times Eastern