HARTFORD, Conn. (AP)—Maya Moore scored 28 points and top-ranked Connecticut cruised to its 15th Big East tournament championship with a 75-36 victory over No. 5 Louisville on Tuesday night.
When the sensational sophomore walked off the floor with eight minutes left, she had single-handedly outscored Louisville 28-27. Moore was selected the tournament’s most outstanding performer.
The Huskies (33-0) have now won four of the last five conference tournament titles and enter the NCAAs unbeaten for the fourth time in school history. UConn went on to win the national championship in 1995 and 2002. In 1996-97 they lost to Tennessee in the regional final.
Connecticut’s road to a sixth national championship will begin on March 22 at home in Storrs as the Huskies host the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament.
No. 17 South Dakota State 79, Oakland, Mich., 69
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)—Jennifer Warkenthien scored 23 points and South Dakota State earned an NCAA tournament bid in its first season of Division I eligibility with a victory in the Summit League championship.
The 17th-ranked Jackrabbits (31-2) trailed by as much as 14 in the first half, but used an 11-0 run late in the second half and 10 of 12 free throw shooting in the final 4:13 to win their 17th consecutive game.
Kristen Rotert added 15 points, including 12 in the second half for SDSU, the regular-season league champion and the tournament’s No. 1 seed.
Jessica Pike led No. 2 seed Oakland (26-6) with 22 points.