UConn Women Finish Undefeated
UConn women's basketball capped off their regular season with a rout of St. John's to complete an unbeaten campaign. No. 2 UCLA also finished undefeated in their inaugural Big Ten season, beating USC in the finale. Both teams are positioned as top contenders heading into March Madness.
UConn's latest undefeated regular season marks the 11th in the program's storied history, concluding with a dominant 85-49 victory over St. John's at Madison Square Garden. The Huskies capped the regular season with a perfect 31-0 record, including a 20-0 record in Big East play. The Huskies are currently on a 47-game winning streak, tying the fifth-longest streak in NCAA Division I women's basketball history. Their dominance is further highlighted by an average victory margin of nearly 38 points per game, a figure that ranks as the third-largest in Division I history. Key players for the Huskies include Azzi Fudd, who scored 14 in the finale, and Allie Ziebell, who added 13. Meanwhile, No. 2 UCLA also achieved a perfect conference record, their first in the Big Ten, by defeating USC 73-50. This marks the first undefeated Big Ten women's regular season in 11 years, matching Maryland's 18-0 run in 2014-15. The Bruins finished the regular season with a 28-1 overall record and an 18-0 conference record. The Bruins' successful campaign has been a team effort, with different players stepping up throughout the season. In their final regular-season game, Charlisse Leger-Walker led the scoring with 20 points, while Gabriela Jaquez and Gianna Kneepkens each contributed 14 points. Center Lauren Betts was a force on the boards with 15 rebounds and also dished out five assists. Both UConn and UCLA are projected to be No. 1 seeds in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. In an early tournament projection by the selection committee, UConn was revealed as the No. 1 overall seed, with UCLA close behind. This sets up a potential clash of titans in March Madness, with both teams demonstrating exceptional performance throughout the regular season. The Huskies boast a formidable offense, averaging 88.6 points per game, and the top-ranked defense, allowing only 50.8 points per game. The Bruins have also been impressive, with the top-ranked offensive rating in the country.
