Monday, March 10
Uncasville, Conn.
6:00 PM
Creighton University
26-6,16-2Big East
50
vs
70
Connecticut
31-3,18-0Big East
1
2
3
4
F
Creighton
11
11
12
16
50
UConn
27
13
13
17
70
Photo by: Joey Kurtz
Women's Basketball Drops Return to BIG EAST Tourney Final
3/10/2025 7:51:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Bluejays await fourth straight NCAA Tournament bid
UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- In a Top 25 battle for BIG EAST Women's Basketball Tournament championship, it was No. 3 Connecticut defeating No. 22 Creighton for the third time this season, 70-50, on Monday night inside a sold out and partisan crowd at Mohegan Sun Arena.
The victory clinched Connecticut's 12th straight conference tournament title and 30th overall in program history. Creighton dropped to 26-6 on the season, with all six losses coming to teams in this week's Top 25, and four of those setbacks coming against teams in the top-three of the current poll.
Connecticut (31-3) controlled the first quarter, opening the game on an 11-0 run, and never trailed. Creighton guard Lauren Jensen had five of the next seven points to draw within four before UConn All-American Paige Bueckers went on a personal 8-0 run to precede a Bluejay timeout. The Huskies closed the opening quarter with a 27-11 lead after making 10-of-15 shots from the field and scoring nine points off seven Bluejay turnovers.
The Huskies uncorked another 8-0 run midway through the second quarter to claim a 35-15 lead, and UConn led 40-22 at the break. Jensen led CU with 10 points at the break while Bueckers and Azzi Fudd each had 11 for UConn.
UConn scored the first seven points of the second half to build a lead as large as 47-22 before Creighton countered and drew within 51-34 late in the third quarter and trailed 53-34 heading into the final period. Creighton drew within 14 (57-43) with 5:42 remaining after a three-ball by Kiani Lockett, only to have the Huskies score the next six points to all but lock up their 23rd conference BIG EAST Tournament title.
Jensen led Creighton with 13 points and seven rebounds and Morgan Maly added a dozen points of her own, but it wasn't enough to offset a Bluejay side that shot 35.8 percent from the field and 26.1 percent from three-point land.
Bueckers had her 17th game of the season with 20+ points, finishing with 24 points and eight rebounds to become the first player to win three BIG EAST Tournament MVP honors. Freshman sensation Sarah Strong had 13 points, 11 rebounds and six steals, while Fudd finished with 13 points.
Creighton will wait to hear its name called on Sunday at 7 p.m. when the NCAA Tournament field is unveiled on ESPN. The Bluejays are seeking an unprecedented fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament.
NOTES: Lauren Jensen moved into sole possession of third place on Creighton's all-time three-pointers made list with 296, breaking a tie she held with Dayna Finch (294) ... Morgan Maly had a three-pointer in her 52nd straight game, extending the nation's longest active streak ... UConn has not lost a conference tournament game since 2013 and have not played a conference tournament game outside the Nutmeg State since 2003. ... Connecticut improved to 45-1 all-time at Mohegan Sun Arena, including a 36-0 record in conference tournament action ... Creighton is winless in 12 meetings against Connecticut ... Lauren Jensen and Morgan Maly represented Creighton on the All-Tournament Team ... Creighton was making its second appearance in program history in the BIG EAST Tournament final, also losing in 2016 to St. John's. Creighton's last conference tournament title came in the 2012 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament ... Creighton was perfect at the free throw line (6-6) for the eighth time this season, the most such games by any team in the country in one season since at least 2009-10.
The victory clinched Connecticut's 12th straight conference tournament title and 30th overall in program history. Creighton dropped to 26-6 on the season, with all six losses coming to teams in this week's Top 25, and four of those setbacks coming against teams in the top-three of the current poll.
Connecticut (31-3) controlled the first quarter, opening the game on an 11-0 run, and never trailed. Creighton guard Lauren Jensen had five of the next seven points to draw within four before UConn All-American Paige Bueckers went on a personal 8-0 run to precede a Bluejay timeout. The Huskies closed the opening quarter with a 27-11 lead after making 10-of-15 shots from the field and scoring nine points off seven Bluejay turnovers.
The Huskies uncorked another 8-0 run midway through the second quarter to claim a 35-15 lead, and UConn led 40-22 at the break. Jensen led CU with 10 points at the break while Bueckers and Azzi Fudd each had 11 for UConn.
UConn scored the first seven points of the second half to build a lead as large as 47-22 before Creighton countered and drew within 51-34 late in the third quarter and trailed 53-34 heading into the final period. Creighton drew within 14 (57-43) with 5:42 remaining after a three-ball by Kiani Lockett, only to have the Huskies score the next six points to all but lock up their 23rd conference BIG EAST Tournament title.
Jensen led Creighton with 13 points and seven rebounds and Morgan Maly added a dozen points of her own, but it wasn't enough to offset a Bluejay side that shot 35.8 percent from the field and 26.1 percent from three-point land.
Bueckers had her 17th game of the season with 20+ points, finishing with 24 points and eight rebounds to become the first player to win three BIG EAST Tournament MVP honors. Freshman sensation Sarah Strong had 13 points, 11 rebounds and six steals, while Fudd finished with 13 points.
Creighton will wait to hear its name called on Sunday at 7 p.m. when the NCAA Tournament field is unveiled on ESPN. The Bluejays are seeking an unprecedented fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament.
NOTES: Lauren Jensen moved into sole possession of third place on Creighton's all-time three-pointers made list with 296, breaking a tie she held with Dayna Finch (294) ... Morgan Maly had a three-pointer in her 52nd straight game, extending the nation's longest active streak ... UConn has not lost a conference tournament game since 2013 and have not played a conference tournament game outside the Nutmeg State since 2003. ... Connecticut improved to 45-1 all-time at Mohegan Sun Arena, including a 36-0 record in conference tournament action ... Creighton is winless in 12 meetings against Connecticut ... Lauren Jensen and Morgan Maly represented Creighton on the All-Tournament Team ... Creighton was making its second appearance in program history in the BIG EAST Tournament final, also losing in 2016 to St. John's. Creighton's last conference tournament title came in the 2012 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament ... Creighton was perfect at the free throw line (6-6) for the eighth time this season, the most such games by any team in the country in one season since at least 2009-10.
Team Stats
CU
UConn
FG%
.358
.444
3FG%
.261
.375
FT%
1.000
.813
RB
27
37
TO
19
17
STL
10
13
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Pts
7
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
7
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG/F
/ Women's BasketballCreighton MSOC Highlights & Postgame vs Omaha 9-10-25
Thursday, September 11
Creighton Women's Soccer Highlights vs. Omaha, 9/10/25
Thursday, September 11
Creighton Women's Soccer Postgame vs. Omaha, 9/10/25
Thursday, September 11
Creighton Volleyball Unveils New Taraflex Court - 9/10/25
Wednesday, September 10
