The Guru Report: UConn Gets Revenge on Villanova in Big East Title Game

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Upon conclusion of the Big East women’s tournament Monday night here at the Mohegan Sun Arena, Hall of Fame UConn coach Geno Auriemma was as complimentary toward Villanova as he was to the Wildcats on their previous visit to the state when they snapped a record 169 straight Huskies win streak in conference play dating to 20212 taking every game and tournament game in both the old American Athletic Conference and up to that moment the last two seasons in the reconfigured Big East.

“People don’t realize how hard it is to play against Villanova. I’ve known that for 37 years,” he said and then quipped, “They’re much harder to play against now than when Harry (Perretta) was coaching them. (Big East coach of the year) Denise (Dillon), she’s got these guys playing — and (Big East player of the year) Maddy Siegriest I think is one of the top 10 players in the country. We haven’t played 10 players better than her. And I don’t think we have played 10 teams, 15 teams max better than Villanova.

“P’ll be really disappointed if Villanova is not in the tournament. I guess Creighton is because they deserve it,” he continued. “Some of the other teams played their way out of it, maybe,” Auriemma continued.  “But Villanova played their way into it. And they have a great style of play. They’re fun to watch.”

One reason to make the pitch was this time UConn was back on the winning side, beating the Wildcats 70-40 to claim a 20th Big East crown and automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, whose 68-team field and draw will be announced Sunday night at 8 p.m. on ESPN.

The last time Villanova (23-8) shot the eyes out of the ball from the get-go and built a cushion that nearly got totally extinguished at the end in the game an hour away in Hartford at the XL Center.

This time, a thunderous arena not far apart from a sellout watched the UConn style they’ve known and love and virtually fully healthy smother the Wildcats.

If you’re going to beat the Huskies (25-5), you better bring most of your A-game components with you. 

On this night, the only element of the Villanova attack with great value was a defense that while struggling offensively was able to keep the Huskies from a total 40-minute destructive triumph, though what this group did was impressive enough.

The previous meeting, Olive Nelson-Ododa and Aaliyah Edwards were among the missing besides reigning national player of the year in Paige Bueckers, who recently returned but didn’t play much in Monday’s win.

Then there was the revenge motivation.

“Obviously we were coming out with a chip on our shoulder because we didn’t want to lose to them again,” said Christyn Williams, the most outstanding player of the tournament. “And we just kept our foot on the gas the entire game and we didn’t take it off.”

On Villanova’s side, Siegrist struggled though she ended up with 16 points and was on the all-tournament team along with Ododa (11 points) and Edwards (12 points), along with reserve Evina Westbrook, who scored 13. Seton Hall’s Lauren Park-Lane and Marquette’s Karissa MNcLaughlin were also named.

“I just think they were a lot more prepared for our offense,” said Briana Herlihy comparing the two games. “I feel the first time we kind of caught them off guard with that.”

And Siegrist added, “We made shots last time and we didn’t today. Defensively, I don’t know what we held them to but it wasn’t 90. It wasn’t 100. So they scored the ball. We just didn’t score the ball.”

As for deserving an at-large bid, Dillon noted, “I think just looking at our resume, you look at it again from January on, everyone talks about UConn missing out with Paige and others not in some games. We played six games without Player of the Year and we go 20, what do we have, 20 wins straight with her, 18 of 22.

“So just really proud of the effort put forth. I think we did exactly what we needed to do from the point on we got her back and put us in the championship game with the Player of the Year in the Big East snd one of the best in the nation.”

That’s the report.