No. 1 UConn Defused No. 5 Creighton in 49-point Semifinal Win
The No. 1 UConn women’s basketball team (33-0, 20-0) dismantled the No. 5 Creighton Bluejays (16-15, 11-9) 100-51 to clinch a spot in the 2026 Big East Tournament Championship.
In the Huskies’ astonishing 49-point victory, three players reached double figures. Paving the way, Sarah Strong contributed 23 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three blocks.
With six steals, Strong broke the program record for most takeaways by a sophomore. The star forward splashed five of seven (71.4%) field goals and went four-for-four from downtown.
“You can teach players to look, but you can’t teach them to see. She sees things before they happen,” said Head Coach Geno Auriemma, discussing Strong’s performance.
Trailing behind the North Carolina native, KK Arnold notched a season-high 18 points and almost shot perfectly from all ranges. Within 15 minutes, the junior went six-for-six from short range and banked two for three (66.7%) shots from beyond the perimeter.
“I like when KK [Arnold] can shoot a wide-open three with a lot of confidence and knowing that it’s the shot I’m supposed to take,” said Auriemma, discussing Arnold’s performance. “All I can do is put kids in a position where they can do their thing and then, hopefully, get some success and then they feel confident enough to keep doing it.”
Alongside the duo, Azzi Fudd accumulated 16 points, three boards, six assists and three takeaways. Within 24 minutes, the senior sank three of six (50%) floor shots and three of four (75%) long-range attempts.
Not to mention, Kayleigh Heckel posted nine off-the-bench points, eight rebounds and seven assists. It is worth mentioning that Jana El Alfy dropped seven points and grabbed seven boards, while Allie Ziebell added eight of her own points.
Defensively, the squad converted 19 turnovers into 33 points, with a total of 13 steals and 23 fastbreak points.
Overall, the Huskies swished 26 of 48 (54.2%) field goals, 14 of 22 (63.6%) three-pointers and six of eight (75%) free throws.
Compared to Creighton, only one player exceeded 10-plus points. Kennedy Townsend finished the night with 13 points, three rebounds and three assists. Outside of the guard, Ava Zediker, Grace Boffeli and Elizabeth Gentry tied for the second most points amongst the team with seven apiece.
Collectively, the Bluejays struggled to find their rhythm in the entire match. As a whole, Creighton connected on nine of 21 (42.9%) paint shots, nine of 33 (27.3%) deep attempts and six of 10 (60%) free throws.
Similar to UConn’s 84-39 triumph over the Georgetown Hoyas yesterday, the reigning National Champs got on the right foot once again.
Right out of the gate, Connecticut wasted no time in capturing a comfortable lead. With the help of Arnold, UConn outscored the Bluejays 10-3. Within the first three and a half minutes of the opening quarter, the guard recorded seven of the team’s 10 points.
Creighton tried to stop the bleeding by draining a triple and a free throw, but this was not enough to prevent the beginning of the end. With just under six minutes left in the first period, the Huskies constructed a 17-0 run lasting almost three minutes. This officially put the Bluejays in the rearview mirror, as Connecticut led 27-4.
By the end of the first frame, Strong and the junior tied for the most points amongst the squad, with nine points apiece.
For Arnold, the 20-year-old looked sharp from all ranges, going three-for-three from the field and one-for-one from the three-point line. When it comes to Strong, the 2026 Big East Player of the Year had only botched one shot. The star forward buried three of four (75%) buckets from inside the arc and went one-for-one from deep.
Heading into the second quarter, Creighton attempted to dig themselves out of a 20-point deficit. In the first minute and a half, the Bluejays went on an 8-2 run, but their offensive production did not last long.
At the eight-minute mark, Connecticut regained their offensive energy and created a 15-0 run, lasting slightly under three and a half minutes. During this time, the Bluejays experienced a near four-minute dry spell. In the final eight minutes before halftime, the Big East rival had only tallied five points.
Coming out of the break, Creighton produced their best of the contest, but it was not enough to make a comeback. Midway through the third frame, both programs traded buckets until UConn took control.
With a little over five minutes remaining in the third period, secured an eight-point run. In response, Gentry caught fire and started a 5-0 run of her own. The center made a pair of free throws and went on to drill a three-pointer.
Going into the fourth period, not much changed as the Bluejays found the net just five times for a total of 13 points. The Huskies answered by going on an 8-0 run to drown Creighton’s production.
Next up, the Huskies will clash with the winner of Game 9 between the No. 2 Villanova Wildcats and the No. 3 Seton Hall Pirates.
💬 Wondering what other UConn fans are saying?
Head to The Husky House forum and jump into the discussion →
