Game Book | UConn Quotes | Creighton Quotes
UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Sophomore forward Sarah Strong made the most of her 25 minutes on the court to lead the top-ranked team in the country back to the BIG EAST title game. No. 1 seed UConn topped No. 5 seed Creighton, 100-51, in the first semifinal of the 2026 BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Tournament Presented by Jeep.
UConn will face the winner of Sunday’s night game between No. 2 seed Villanova and No. 3 seed Seton Hall Monday at 7 p.m. ET at Mohegan Sun Arena. The game will air on Peacock and NBCSN.
Strong capped the game with 23 points on 9-of-11 shooting, to go along with seven rebounds, four assists, three blocks and six steals. She was joined in double figures by KK Arnold (18 points and four assists) and Azzi Fudd (16 points and six assists).
Creighton senior guard Kennedy Townsend led the Huskies with 13 points.
UConn seized control immediately against the Bluejays, opening the game with the first seven points. After Creighton briefly kept things within reach, UConn led 10–4 before breaking the game open with a dominant 17–0 run that created a massive cushion before the end of the first quarter.
The Huskies were extremely efficient offensively, shooting 12-of-19 from the field and 4-of-5 from long range, while their defense forced nine Creighton turnovers compared to just two by UConn. That pressure translated into a 15–3 advantage in points off turnovers, helping the Huskies surge to a commanding 29–9 lead after the opening 10 minutes.
Creighton opened the second quarter with an 8–2 run in an attempt to shift momentum, but UConn quickly regained control and closed the half on a 26–5 run to take a commanding 57–22 lead into halftime.
Strong led the surge, shooting 7-of-8 from the field and 3-of-3 from beyond the arc while stuffing the stat sheet with 17 points, four rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and six steals, tying her career high in steals, before the break. Arnold added 15 points on a perfect 7-of-7 shooting, as UConn shot 24-of-37 (.649) overall and 8-of-10 from deep, while forcing 14 Creighton turnovers and holding a 27–3 edge in points off turnovers.
UConn continued to control the game in the third quarter, maintaining its pace on both ends of the floor and keeping Creighton from mounting any comeback. The Huskies steadily extended the margin throughout the period, entering the fourth quarter with a commanding 82-38 lead.
Overall, UConn shot 40-of-70 from the field, along with 14-of-22 from long range. The Bluejays shot 18-of-54 from the field with nine made threes. UConn finished the game with a 33-11 advantage in points off turnovers, forcing 19 turnovers with 13 steals.
For the 21st consecutive season, the Huskies return to a Conference Championship Game, while extending their win streak in league tournament games to 38 in a row.