Big East Tournament preview: UConn looks to go all the way

After another rollercoaster year for the UConn Huskies, they’ve come out on top of the Big East regular season. Can they now win the tournament?

It’s finally time for conference tournaments, and the Big East is looking like it will be an incredibly entertaining one. The tournament will take place at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT. Play starts on Friday, Mar. 8, with the lower-seeded teams playing in the first round.

Several teams have looked great throughout conference play, but it’s the No. 9 UConn Huskies that have dominated the scene.

It’s definitely been a rocky season for the Huskies, but they seem to have hit their stride at the right time. After starting out their season with devastating injuries to Azzi Fudd, Caroline Ducharme, Aubrey Griffin and Ayanna Patterson, the Huskies have had to readjust. Yet, they entered conference play with upward momentum.

They’ve now gone undefeated in the Big East, taking the regular season title, and look to do the same in the Big East Tournament. At 26-5 on the season, and their losses coming to some of the other dominant programs, it will be interesting to see how the Huskies look going into the postseason.

The Huskies will be looking to win their 22nd Big East Tournament, and their fourth-consecutive since re-entering the conference in the 2020-21 season. Including their run in the AAC, the Huskies have won 10-consecutive conference titles and are looking for their 11th in a row.

Paige Bueckers is not done yet

After sitting out the entirety of her junior season, and most of her sophomore season, Paige Bueckers probably has had her most injury-free season yet as a redshirt junior.

The former AP Player and Freshman of the Year got another Player of the Year prize from the Big East conference this week. Although, in Bueckers’ opinion, it should have gone to Aaliyah Edwards.

Bueckers already has committed to staying at UConn for another season, taking advantage of her COVID-exception year. She is probably the biggest name to have announced she will be staying in college. It makes sense—Bueckers barely has had a full season in a UConn uniform, and with all the season ending injuries, she wants to run it back with a full roster.

So, while the pressure for UConn to perform in the postseason is still ever-present, this isn’t the Paige Bueckers’ goodbye tour just yet.

UConn (almost) sweeps the Big East awards

Along with Paige Bueckers being named Player of the Year in the Big East, UConn’s Ashlynn Shade was awarded Freshman of the Year and Geno Auriemma took Coach of the Year. Bueckers and Aaliyah Edwards were named to the All-Big East first team, Nika Muhl to the All-Big East second team and Ashlynn Shade got an honorable mention. On the All-Big East Freshman team, both Ashlynn Shade and KK Arnold got the nod.

Christina Dalce of Villanova and Kelsey Ransom of Georgetown were named Co-Defensive Players of the Year, and Lucy Olsen on Villanova was awarded Most Improved Player.

Tough top five in the Big East

While no conference comers have beat UConn this season, the top five teams in the Big East are going to make this a highly competitive tournament. Creighton is ranked No. 21 in the country going into the conference tournament, while Marquette spent a lot of the season in the top 25 during the season. St. John’s and Villanova have the third and fourth seeds.

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Big East Tournament schedule

All games will be played at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.

First round — Friday, Mar. 8

Game 1: No. 8 Butler vs. No. 9 Providence, 11 a.m. ET (Big East Digital Network)

Game 2: No. 7 Seton Hall vs. No. 10 DePaul, 1:30 p.m. ET (Big East Digital Network)

Game 3: No. 6 Georgetown vs. No. 11 Xavier, 4 p.m. ET (Big East Digital Network)

Quarterfinals — Saturday, Mar. 9

Game 4: Game 1 winner vs. 1 seed UConn, 12 p.m. ET (FS1)

Game 5: No. 5 Marquette vs. No. 4 Villanova, 2:30 p.m. ET (FS2)

Game 6: Game 2 winner vs. No. 2 Creighton, 7 p.m. ET (FS2)

Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. No. 3 St. John’s, 9:30 p.m. ET (FS2)

Semifinals — Sunday, Mar. 10

Game 8: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 2:30 p.m. ET (FS1)

Game 9: Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 winner, 5 p.m. ET (FS1)

Final — Monday, Mar, 11

Game 10: Game 8 winner vs Game 9 winner, 7 p.m. ET (FS1)