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Same Ol’ Same Ol’ (2023 Big East Women’s Basketball Tournament Championship

Robert Cole/ALOST

akoiki-passport2 – by Adesina O. Koiki
A Lot of Sports Talk editor-in-chief

UNCASVILLE, CONNECTICUT — The end result of the conference tournament that the UConn Huskies participated in 2023 was as much of a surprise as the sun rising in the East. How the Huskies got to their latest conference championship this time around, however, might have been during the most challenging season in Geno Auriemma’s tenure, which may also make their championship won tonight sweeter than almost all of their league tournament titles.

Forward Aaliyah Edwards led the way with 16 points and 15 rebounds as the top-seeded Huskies defeated No. 2 Villanova 67-56 in the Big East Women’s Basketball Tournament championship game on Monday night at Mohegan Sun Arena.

During the regular season, the Huskies, beleaguered by a rash of injuries that started with Paige Bueckers’ ACL tear in the offseason, lost multiple conference games for the first time in 10 years. They lose consecutive games in a season for the first time in 30 years. Auriemma also took time away from the team in December after the passing of his mother and also missed time due to illness.

The calendar reads “March,” and despite the on-court setbacks, the muscle memory developed over the years by Auriemma’s program came to the fore once again as the Huskies won their 10th consecutive conference championship.

“Well, we talked about it before the game that given everything we’ve been through,” Auriemma said. “I think it gave us a little more resiliency, a little more strength. I think we got a little more tougher as the season went on. And it showed up these three days. These kids know when it’s March time, they’ve been in a couple of Final Fours. I think there’s a different vibe in our team.”

*Editor’s note: Above the byline is the photo gallery from Monday’s championship game, with the photos taken by ALOST senior photographer Robert Cole. After clicking on the first photo to enlarge the picture, make sure to press the left and right arrow buttons to scroll through the rest of the pictures. There are 20 pictures in total.

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Tags : Big East ConferenceBig East TournamentConnecticut HuskiesVillanova Wildcatswomen's college basketball

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