UConn women’s basketball captures Big East regular season title with 81-49 win over Creighton

UConn women’s basketball clinched its first Big East regular season championship in a decade and 52nd conference title overall with an 81-49 win over the Creighton Blue Jays. The Huskies (19-1, 16-0 Big East) have won a conference regular season crown for eight consecutive seasons.

Nika Muhl set a career-high with 19 points on 8-13 shooting and also finished with five steals, three assists and three rebounds. Olivia Nelson-Ododa recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds while Paige Bueckers added 13 points, nine assists and six rebounds. Evina Westbrook finished with nine points and made her first 3-pointer in six games, snapping an 0-15 streak from beyond the arc.

Creighton scored the opening basket of the game but things quickly went downhill for the hosts. UConn responded with the next 16 points, sparked by Muhl. At the end of the first quarter, the freshman had already blown past her previous career-high (11 points) and personally held a 15-13 lead over the Blue Jays.

The Huskies’ defense clamped down in the second quarter, holding Creighton to just three baskets — all of which came from Temi Carda. UConn pushed its lead over 20 points with an 11-0 stretch at the end of the half before Carda hit a deep 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Creighton came out of the locker room strong with six of the first eight points of the half and kept the difference at just three points in the third quarter but it was far from enough. UConn quickly erased any progress anyways with a 10-0 spurt to start the final period. The Huskies eventually came away with a 32-point victory.

Next UConn will head to Butler on Saturday for the final game of its five-game road trip before closing the season at home on Monday against Marquette.