Let’s face it: Geno Auriemma shouldn’t be an excuse-maker, however his workforce has been removed from full energy during the last 4 years. So, because the confetti fell down from the rafters at Mohegan Solar Area for a fifth consecutive yr in celebration of UConn‘s Big East Event championship, this system’s twenty third total, this one felt totally different.
“They’re enjoying in addition to anybody in America proper now,” FOX Sports activities analyst Kim Adams mentioned in reference to the No. 3-ranked Huskies in the course of the broadcast. “They’ve all of the items to win all of it.”
The Huskies’ expertise was on full show Monday night time as they put collectively a two-hour clinic that resulted in a 70-50 win over a Creighton workforce that’s an NCAA Event lock and entered the sport with a 26-6 file.
Jim Flanery, whose Creighton workforce had already misplaced to UConn twice this season by a mixed 30 factors heading into Monday night time’s convention title recreation, mentioned that the margin for error for his workforce was “slim to none,” and that “we might need to be good.”
Simply 4 minutes into the sport, it was 11-0 Connecticut, thanks largely to a protection that has been excellent during the last month and is the largest energy of the workforce proper now. The Huskies rank fourth within the nation, permitting simply 51.9 factors per recreation, and maintain the nation’s greatest scoring margin at +29. UConn held each St. John’s and Villanova to only two factors in 1 / 4 of their respective quarterfinal and semifinal victories.
What was lacking within the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds confirmed up within the ultimate, although, with UConn taking pictures 8-of-15 from 3-point territory within the first half and main 40-22 on the break. The Huskies had shot simply over 26% from downtown of their earlier two Massive Ten Event video games.
However the largest story of this UConn workforce and all through all of girls’s school basketball is fairly clear: Bueckers Mania.
Paige Bueckers continues to be chasing that elusive first nationwide title, however on Monday night time, the Huskies’ senior star did accomplish a first-time feat, successful Massive East Event Most Excellent Participant, and within the course of, turning into the primary participant to win the accolade 3 times (2021, 2024, 2025). Bueckers totaled 65 factors on 55% taking pictures whereas tallying 14 rebounds, 12 assists, 5 blocks and 4 steals in three Massive East Event victories.
“There are two ways in which a senior can go,” Auriemma mentioned. “They will both be panicking or pressured about what’s coming subsequent, or they will relish within the second, benefit from it and have the ultimate say. Let’s hope it retains going the way in which of the latter, however that is what she is correct now.”
UConn Huskies hoist 2025 Massive East Trophy, Paige Bueckers wins Most Excellent Participant
Bueckers simply had that look in her eye Monday night time, one that claims she has a starvation to pen her ultimate chapters at UConn after being sidelined for each her sophomore and junior years as a consequence of accidents. The 6-foot senior guard is not deferring to anyone proper now, as an alternative taking issues into her personal fingers and commanding the sport. While you mix Buecker’s starvation with a blossoming freshman in Sarah Robust, who’s the final word matchup nightmare, it is a downright scary mixture.
Robust possesses the flexibility to course of the sport at an elite degree whereas being unflappable and never letting something sluggish her down.
“It is my favourite trait of hers … she simply performs,” mentioned Auriemma, who introduced up the truth that generally freshmen want time to get to that time the place they are not attempting to assume an excessive amount of.
However that is not the case with Robust, whose mom, Allison Feaster, was a three-time Ivy League Participant of the 12 months at Harvard and a 10-year WNBA professional, and whose father, Danny, performed at NC State after which abroad.
After a 20-point, 16-rebound efficiency in UConn’s win over Villanova within the semis, Robust tallied 13 factors, 11 rebounds, six steals, 4 assists and three blocks within the title recreation victory. When UConn goes smaller along with her on the 5 spot and guards round her, it is what Flanery known as “their dying lineup.”
“Sarah is the perfect and most tough participant to match up with that they’ve had since Breanna Stewart,” St. John’s head coach Joe Tartamella informed FOX Sports activities by cellphone after UConn’s win on Monday night time. “Robust completes them if she’s on the high of her recreation as a result of Bueckers is pushed, Kaitlyn Chen is regular and Azzi Fudd is the X-factor.”
Tartamella additionally introduced up the truth that this UConn workforce did not even have fun on Monday night time. In previous years, the Huskies did present a bit extra jubilation over successful the convention event crown, however this felt like a rung on the ladder towards what seems like a really practical consequence for the primary time in a number of years: a nationwide title.
Auriemma has received 11 nationwide championships at UConn, the final coming again in 2016. However the way in which his workforce is enjoying proper now provides him pretty much as good a shot as anyone.
Bueckers’ ardour and pursuit are actual and Robust lives as much as her title in each manner. The Huskies are a wagon, and it confirmed on Monday night time.
John Fanta is a nationwide school basketball broadcaster and author for FOX Sports activities. He covers the game in quite a lot of capacities, from calling video games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Community to offering commentary on The Subject of 68 Media Community. Observe him at @John_Fanta.
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