UNCASVILLE, Conn. — For the sixth time in as many seasons, UConn was the last team standing when the confetti fell at Mohegan Sun Arena following the BIG EAST Tournament. With a resounding 90-51 victory over No. 2 seed Villanova, the Huskies officially clinched a spot in the NCAA Tournament, where they’re the projected No. 1 overall seed. It’s the Huskies’ 31st conference tournament title and 24th in the BIG EAST.
UConn took control of the game early, starting the game on a 15-3 run led by sophomore Sarah Strong‘s seven points, five rebounds, block and steal in the first 10 minutes. The Huskies’ depth and pace wore Villanova down in the second quarter, and UConn took a commanding 26-point lead into halftime, a lead that ballooned in the second half.
Strong was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, but UConn’s floor general KK Arnold had a strong case for the award as well. Arnold’s intensity and speed powered UConn’s high-octane defense, and from head coach Geno Auriemma’s perspective, the junior guard had a breakout weekend.
“I mean, it has been the case in all the tournaments that I’ve been in in my career that somebody who is really, really good comes into this tournament and just has a weekend for the ages. Heck, even Ice [Brady] had one a couple years ago when Aaliyah [Edwards] broke her nose. And I remember Meghan Pattyson playing with Kerry Bascom and was the MVP of the tournament,” Auriemma said.
“So somebody always pops up and has a great weekend, and for KK to have the kind of impact that she’s had these three games and throughout most of the season. … She always had the defensive confidence, but I think right now she’s in a place that she’s never been, that she’s really wanted to be at, and I’m really thrilled for her.”
Arnold, alongside fifth-year senior Azzi Fudd, was named to the All-Tournament Team. Her poise and leadership set the tone for UConn on both ends of the floor.
“I’m playing for [my teammates]. And just to go out there to play with that same energy knowing that they feed off of it means a lot,” Arnold told reporters postgame. “Just this year, each and every game I’ve learned from myself, I’ve learned from my teammates, and learned how to get better each and every day, each and every second in practice, and translating it into the game.”
Within Arnold’s comments lie a truth about what has made UConn so successful over the past three decades — an ingrained culture of unselfish team basketball. This tournament run wasn’t about one or two players’ performances. It was a balanced team effort for the entire three days, with UConn’s dynamic bench players contributing efficient minutes across various lineup rotations.
“I am [fortunate] to be part of this program, to have had that confetti fall on me five times here, whether I was playing, not playing,” Fudd told reporters. “But to be able to be a part of an incredible team all five years, and then also seeing people go through it for the first time, like, seeing everyone — it means a lot to me, but to see everyone who this is their first time, like, seeing the joy on all the freshmen, on Kayleigh [Heckel], on Serah Williams‘ face, it was a great moment.”
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In a moment where Azzi Fudd could have reflected on her own individual accomplishments at UConn, she was quick to redirect and celebrate her teammates. Coach Auriemma emphasized that unselfishness defines this year’s roster in particular.
“They’re a kind of a team that is really bonded together on a common goal,” Auriemma said. “They just want to spend time together and they want to play hard for each other and, you know, what more can you ask? No matter how much I complain, I mean, if — you know, if you were to look at this team individually, you would say — yeah, I mean, I don’t know how many of these kids, you know, are even First Team All BIG EAST players during their couple years here, but when you put ’em all together, they just have an incredible chemistry together and that makes it all work.”
Auriemma, never one to dish out excessive praise, was quick to qualify his compliment with his trademark sarcasm.
“Yesterday, it was such a pain in the ass watching that little exchange between Blanca [Quiñonez] and Sarah [Strong] on the fast break — pass, pass, pass,” Auriemma joked with reporters postgame. “I thought they were just going to keep passing right into the band. I thought that they would just get to the band and hand it to the trombone player or something. Somebody’s got to shoot it, dude. And it’s just like — I don’t know. I don’t know, it’s a weird dynamic, but it works. It works. That’s all I can say.”
It’s perhaps an understatement that it simply “works” because the Huskies are doing more than just winning. Monday’s victory was the 50th consecutive win for the defending national champion Huskies (34-0), who now own four of the five longest winning streaks in Division I, including a record 111-game run. Now, with a 13th national title and seventh undefeated season in reach, the Huskies turn their focus as a team to the NCAA Tournament.
“We have a couple days off, so we want to enjoy that, celebrate that, but … our work isn’t done yet,” Fudd told reporters. “So as much as we can enjoy this win, enjoy being undefeated this season, being undefeated being a BIG EAST champion, [it] won’t really matter in a couple weeks.”
No matter how this season shakes out for this year’s iteration of the UConn Huskies, they’ve already lived up to the standards set by generations of alumni before them by playing a connected brand of team basketball. As the next few weeks unfold, they have a chance to add their unique chapter to the greatest dynasty in the sport.
“We’re prepared for whatever happens,” Auriemma said. “If we play well, we have a chance to win. If we don’t play well, we have a chance to lose. And that’s kind of been the case for 40-some years. We just want a chance, you know. We just want to put ourselves in position to have a chance, that’s it.”
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