UConn wins its 22nd Big East Tournament championship. Texas, Iowa State will play for Big 12 title

UConn guard Paige Bueckers smiles during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Georgetown in the finals of the Big East Conference tournament at Mohegan Sun Arena, Monday, March 11, 2024, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

By The Associated Press

UNCASVILE, Conn. (AP) — Paige Bueckers scored 27 points and had five blocks to help No. 10 UConn beat Georgetown 78-42 on Monday night to win its 22nd Big East Tournament title.

It was the 29th title overall for the Huskies, who haven’t lost in a conference championship contest since 2013, when Notre Dame beat them for the Big East title.

UConn (29-5), which has been in 20 consecutive conference tournament championship games, has won all four titles since rejoining the Big East in 2020-21 after taking seven straight during its run in the American Athletic Conference.

Georgetown was making its first appearance in the championship game in school history. The Hoyas (22-11) already have the most wins since the 2011-12 team had 23. That was the last time the school made the NCAA Tournament. Despite making the title game, they are a long shot to make the NCAAs with a very weak non-conference schedule.

NO. 6 TEXAS 71, NO. 16 KANSAS STATE 64

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Madison Booker scored 17 points, Shay Holle hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with just over a minute to go, and Texas beat Kansas State to set up a Big 12 Tournament title game rematch against Iowa State.

Aaliyah Moore added 14 points and Holle finished with 11 for the second-seeded Longhorns (29-4), who blew a 14-point, first-half lead before rallying from a 57-55 deficit with four minutes to go to earn a shot at their second title in the last three years.

The No. 4-seeded Cyclones, who knocked off top-seeded Oklahoma earlier in the day, beat Texas 67-58 in the finale a year ago.

Ayoka Lee had 25 points and 10 rebounds to lead the third-seeded Wildcats (25-7). Serena Sundell added 12 points but also had six of their 17 turnovers.

NO. 14 GONZAGA 72, PACIFIC 61

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Eliza Hollingsworth had 20 points and 12 rebounds, Yvonne Ejim also had a double-double and Gonzaga defeated Pacific in the West Coast Conference Tournament semifinals for the Bulldogs’ 24th straight win.

Ejim had 18 points and 13 rebounds for Gonzaga (30-2), which had its closest game against a league opponent this season. Brynna Maxwell added 17 points and Kaylynne Truong had 13 with seven assists.

The Zags face Portland in the Tuesday championship game.

The Tigers gave the Bulldogs their closest regular-season game, falling 91-78 on Feb. 17. Ironically, two weeks earlier, Gonzaga had its largest-ever win over a Division I opponent when it beat Pacific 104-39. The Zags beat conference teams by 30.7 points a game.

IOWA STATE 85, NO. 19 OKLAHOMA 68

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Audi Crooks had 25 points, Addy Brown added 16 and fourth-seeded Iowa State romped over top-seeded Oklahoma, giving the Cyclones a chance to defend their women’s Big 12 Tournament title.

Emily Ryan added 12 points and 10 assists for the Cyclones (20-10), who beat the Sooners in last year’s semifinals before topping Texas for the title. Iowa State will now get a rematch Tuesday night against the No. 6 Longhorns, who beat Kansas State in their semifinal later in the day.

Payton Verhulst had 23 points for the Sooners (22-9), who will head to the SEC next season having lost their last seven Big 12 semifinals. Sahara Williams added 16 points and league co-player of the year Skylar Vann finished with 12.

Iowa State overcame 21 turnovers by shooting 12 of 23 from the 3-point arc.

NO. 21 UNLV 83, FRESNO STATE 35

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Amarachi Kimpson and Alyssa Brown each scored 16 points, and UNLV routed ninth-seeded Fresno State in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West Conference Tournament for coach Lindy La Rocque’s 100th victory.

Top-seeded UNLV (28-2) won its 13th straight game to advance to the semifinals on Tuesday against Colorado State. The Lady Rebels are looking to win the conference tournament for a third straight season.

Kimpson and Brown each made a 3-pointer in the first minute of the second quarter to put the lead in double figures for good at 25-13. The Lady Rebels closed the quarter on a 12-0 run to go ahead 44-20 at the break.

Kiara Jackson, Kimpson and Brown each scored 10 points in the first half as UNLV shot 58.6% from the field. Fresno State was just 9 of 31 from the field in the first half, with scoring from just five different players.

___ Get alerts and updates on AP Top 25 basketball throughout the season. Sign up here ___ AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball