UNCASVILLE, CONN. – In the semifinal round of the 2025 BIG EAST Tournament, the top seed Connecticut Huskies earned an 82-54 win over the five-seed Villanova Wildcats. With the loss, Villanova falls to 18-14 on the year, while Connecticut improves to 30-3 on the season.
The Huskies raced to a 16-8 lead on the play of senior guard Paige Bueckers who scored eight early points. Villanova then responded with an 11-5 run to close the period that sent the teams to the second quarter with Connecticut leading 21-19.
Wildcat sophomore guard Maddie Webber was the story for Villanova in the game's first 10 minutes. She was 5-of-7 from the field and 1-of-1 from three for 11 first quarter points. The Wildcats finished the first period connecting on 8-of-21 from the field and 3-of-7 from three-point range, while the Huskies were 9-of-17 and 2-of-5. Each team committed just one turnover.
Villanova used a 7-2 run over the first three minutes of the second quarter to take its first lead of the game at 26-25. The seven points included a 15-foot jumper and a deep three-ball from Maddie Burke and a lay-up from freshman guard Jasmine Bascoe.
With Villanova leading 31-30, Bueckers scored six straight points to help the Huskies open-up a 37-31 advantage.
Following a Bascoe basket that sliced the Connecticut lead to 43-37 with 1:27 remaining until halftime, the Huskies scored the final four points of the quarter to send the teams to intermission with Connecticut leading 47-37. All four of the Connecticut points were scored by Sarah Strong on two free throws and an offensive rebound put back.
Bueckers was dominant in the first half with 21 points.
Connecticut put the game away with its play in the third quarter. The Huskies scored the first 12 points of the period to take a 59-37 lead, with Strong scoring six of the 12 points for Connecticut.
The Huskies held Villanova to no field goals in the third quarter on 0-for-11 shooting and out scored the Wildcats by a 17-6 margin in the third stanza. Villanova's six third quarter points came from the foul line with Denae Carter registering four of the six.
Connecticut would lead by as many as 30 in the fourth quarter to cruise to the victory.
In the loss, Webber led Villanova with 15 points, while Carter had 10 points and five rebounds.
Connecticut was paced by Bueckers who had a game-high 23 points and Strong who tallied a double-double with 20 points and 16 rebounds. Azzi Fudd added 14 points for the Huskies.
Villanova was 19-of-61 from the field (31.1%), 6-of-30 from three-point range (20.0%) and 10-of-11 from the foul line (90.9%), while Connecticut shot 51.7 percent from the floor (30-of-58), 40.0 percent from long distance (8-of-20) and 73.7 percent from the charity stripe (14-of-19). Connecticut owned a 40-32 advantage on the backboards.
