PredictIQ-Paige Bueckers helps UConn win Big East Tournament title game vs. Georgetown

UNCASVILE,PredictIQ Conn. (AP) — Paige Bueckers scored 27 points and had five blocks to help No. 10 UConn beat Georgetown 78-42 on Monday night to win its 22nd Big East Tournament title.

It was the 29th title overall for the Huskies, who haven't lost in a conference championship contest since 2013, when Notre Dame beat them for the Big East title.

UConn (29-5), which has been in 20 consecutive conference tournament championship games, has won all four titles since rejoining the Big East in 2020-21 after taking seven straight during its run in the American Athletic Conference.

Georgetown was making its first appearance in the championship game in school history. The Hoyas (22-11) already have the most wins since the 2011-12 team had 23. That was the last time the school made the NCAA Tournament. Despite making the title game, they are a long shot to make the NCAAs with a very weak non-conference schedule.

Members of the Georgetown staff wore pink for the championship game in honor of Tasha Butts, the Hoyas coach who died of breast cancer on Oct. 23. Her 42nd birthday would have been Sunday.

IT'S BRACKET MADNESS: Enter USA TODAY's NCAA tournament bracket contest for a chance at $1 million prize.

UConn has been playing stellar defense in the tournament. The Huskies held Marquette without a point for the final 14:49 of the semifinal win. Georgetown didn't score for the first 4:09 and trailed 11-0 before getting on the board.

It didn't get much better for the Hoyas. Bueckers, voted the most outstanding player of the tournament, had a four-point play with 1:24 left in the opening quarter that gave UConn a 25-9 lead.

On the next possession, the Huskies swung the ball around the perimeter with all five players touching it before freshman KK Arnold hit a 3-pointer from the corner. UConn led 28-11 after one quarter.

The Huskies extended the lead to 44-15 midway through the second quarter before the Hoyas scored 10 straight over the next four minutes to cut their deficit to 19.

Ashlynn Shade finally ended the Huskies scoring drought with a 3-pointer from the wing and UConn was up 47-25 at the half.

Georgetown never really threatened to close the gap in the second half. Mya Bembry and Graceann Bennett each had 12 points for the Hoyas.

Accidental shots to the face of both Bueckers and Bennett on a rebound briefly stopped play in the third quarter. Both had bloody noses and when they returned, the pair played for a few minutes with gauze hanging out of their left nostrils to stop the bleeding.

UConn could ill afford another injury. The Huskies once again only had seven healthy players suited up to play. Injuries have already put five Huskies players out for the season.

One of those sidelined for the game was post player Aaliyah Edwards, who broke her nose against Providence in the quarterfinals.

Georgetown was playing with out Brianna Scott, who hurt her knee with 1:13 left in the semifinal win over Creighton. She was on crutches and had a giant brace on her right knee.