UConn's Caroline Ducharme (33) is defended by Xavier's Fernanda Ovalle (10) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, Feb. 27, 2023, in Storrs. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
UConn's Nika Muhl (10) runs backward after breaking UConn's single-season assist record held previously by Sue Bird in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Xavier, Monday, Feb. 27, 2023, in Storrs. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
UConn's Lou Lopez-Senechal (11) and Dorka Juhasz (14) hold up their jerseys during senior night ceremonies before an NCAA college basketball game against Xavier, Monday, Feb. 27, 2023, in Storrs. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
UConn's Lou Lopez-Senechal hugs head coach Geno Auriemma during senior night ceremonies before an NCAA college basketball game against Xavier, Monday, Feb. 27, 2023, in Storrs. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
UConn's Dorka Juhasz, center, is introduced with her parents Zsolt Juhasz, left, and Hajnalka Balazs during senior night ceremonies before an NCAA college basketball game against Xavier, Monday, Feb. 27, 2023, in Storrs. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
UConn players pose with the Big East regular season championship trophy at the end of an NCAA college basketball game against Xavier, Monday, Feb. 27, 2023, in Storrs. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Storrs — It wasn’t exactly what was expected Monday night at Gampel Pavilion.
One more chance for Lou Lopez Senechal and Dorka Juhasz to play in front of of a celebratory home crowd. A formality to put the finishing touches on the Big East Conference regular-season championship against last-place Xavier. None of that.
Ninth-ranked UConn did beat Xavier 60-51 to wrap up the Big East title, the 29th regular-season championship in program history.
But as the tenor of an injury-prone season would dictate, the Huskies did so without Juhasz (ankle injury), while watching starter Aaliyah Edwards crash to the floor just 40 seconds into the second half (she returned) and with Lopez Senechal knocked down on consecutive plays in the third quarter (she received a technical after exchanging words with a Xavier opponent).
And UConn head coach wasn’t particularly happy with the Huskies’ approach, noting about 20% of the game plan was implemented by his team, which he said looked “poorly coached.”
“Xavier is a lot better than our guys wanted to give them credit for,” he added. “That’s how immature they are. They looked pretty good to me out there.
“I’m tired of the fatigue. I’m tired of ‘we’re hurt.’ I’m tired of all that. We don’t think.”
Edwards finished with 19 points and eight rebounds, Caroline Ducharme 14 points, including three 3-point field goals, and Lopez Senechal 12 points for UConn (26-5, 18-2), with Ducharme in the starting lineup in place of Juhasz.
Sophomore point guard Nika Muhl finished with seven assists, becoming UConn’s all-time single season assists leader with 236, breaking the mark of 231 set by program great Sue Bird during the 2001-02 season.
Muhl assisted UConn’s first three baskets of the game, two by Ducharme and one by Lopez Senechal, to eclipse Bird, the record-breaker coming on a 3-pointer by Ducharme with 5:52 remaining in the first quarter.
Muhl, who entered the game ranked second in the country with 7.9 assists per game, was named earlier in the day as one of five finalists for the Nancy Lieberman Award as the nation’s top point guard.
UConn trailed Xavier 22-20 on a layup by the Musketeers’ Courtney Prenger with 8:11 to play in the second quarter.
After a UConn timeout, though, Edwards hit a jump shot to tie it and Aubrey Griffin scored to put the Huskies back in front. Edwards hit one of two free throws and Griffin scored assisted by Edwards.
The Huskies outscored Xavier 16-2 to end the half, including back-to-back 3-point field goals by Lopez Senechal and a layup by freshman Ayanna Patterson to beat the buzzer, giving them a 36-24 lead.
UConn led by as many as 18 following a 3-pointer by Ducharme and a follow-up three-point play also by the sophomore that made it 44-26.
With the Huskies up 46-30, Lopez Senechal was knocked to the floor on an offensive possession, drawing a protest from UConn coach Geno Auriemma, and Lopez Senechal was again sent sprawling on her way down the floor on defense. That resulted in an offensive foul on Xavier’s Taylor Smith and also a technical on Lopez Senechal.
Mackayla Scarlett made both free throws and a basket by Shelby Calhoun pulled the Musketeers within 46-34. UConn’s Edwards responded with eight points in the fourth quarter to help keep Xavier at bay.
Prenger scored with 42 seconds remaining for Xavier (7-22, 0-20) to pull the Musketeers back within single digits.
Lopez Senechal, a 6-foot-1 guard/forward from Grenoble, France, and Juhasz, a 6-5 forward from Pecs, Hungary, were honored prior to the game, escorted to center court by their parents.
The French and Mexican national anthems were played in honor of Lopez Senechal and the Hungarian anthem for Juhasz in the ceremony to honor the pair of graduate transfers.
UConn, the top seed in this weekend’s Big East tournament at Mohegan Sun Arena, will play its quarterfinal game at noon Saturday against the winner of an opening-round game between No. 8 Butler and No. 9 Georgetown.
[email protected] BIG EAST TOURNAMENT
At Mohegan Sun Arena
Friday’s Games
First Round
Game 1: No. 8 Butler vs. No, 9 Georgetown, 11 a.m.
Game 2: No. 7 DePaul vs. No. 10 Providence, 1:30 p.m.
Game 3: No. 6 Seton Hall vs. No. 11 Xavier, 4 p.m.
Saturday’s Games
Quarterfinals
Game 4: No. 1 UConn vs. Game 1 winner, noon
Game 5: No. 4 St. John’s vs. No. 5 Marquette, 2:30 p.m.
Game 6: No. 2 Villanova vs. Game 2 winner, 7 p.m.
Game 7: No. 3 Creighton vs. Game 3 winner, 9:30 p.m.
Sunday’s Games
Semifinals
Game 8: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 3 p.m.
Game 9: Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 winner, 5:30 p.m.
Monday, March 6
Final
Game 10: Semifinal winners, 7 p.m.
