University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Villanova
No. 1 UConn to Take on Villanova for BIG EAST Tournament Championship
3/8/2026 11:07:00 PM | Women's Basketball
UNCASVILLE, Conn. – The top-ranked and top-seeded UConn women's basketball team (33-0, 20-0 BIG EAST) faces Villanova (25-6, 16-4) for the 2026 BIG EAST Tournament Championship Monday at 7 p.m. in Mohegan Sun Arena. The game will air on peacock/NBC Sports Network and the UConn Sports Network from Learfield (FOX Sports 97.9).
The Huskies are seeking their 31st conference tournament title and 24th as members of the BIG EAST. UConn has won 12 consecutive conference tournament championships.
Sophomore Sarah Strong had 23 points, seven rebounds, four assists, three blocks and six steals to lead UConn to a 100-51 win over No. 5-seed Creighton in the BIG EAST Tournament semifinals Sunday. Sophomore KK Arnold had 18 points on 8-9 shooting and four assists while graduate student Azzi Fudd had 16 points, six assists and three steals.
Including BIG EAST Tournament games, the Huskies have won 69 straight league games.
UConn is 49-18 all-time vs. Villanova. The teams last met on Feb. 18 in Villanova, Pa., an 83-69 win for the Huskies. UConn trailed at the end of the first quarter and at halftime for the only time this season in the game.
No. 2-seed Villanova beat No. 3-seed Seton Hall, 62-48, in the semifinals Sunday. This season, Jasmine Bascoe leads the Wildcats with 19.0 points per game. Head coach Denise Dillon is in her sixth season at Villanova.
UConn won numerous end-of-season BIG EAST honors. Sophomore Sarah Strong was named the conference's Player and Defensive Player of the Year while Blanca Quiñonez was tabbed Freshman and Sixth Woman of the Year. Strong is joined on the All-BIG EAST First Team by graduate student Azzi Fudd and junior KK Arnold, and Strong and Arnold are on the All-Defensive Team.
