No. 9 UConn tops Xavier, takes Big East regular-season title

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STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Aaliyah Edwards scored 19 points and No. 9 UConn secured the Big East regular-season title with a 60-51 win over Xavier on Monday night.

Caroline Ducharme added 14 points and Lou Lopez Senechal scored 12 for the Huskies (26-5, 18-2 Big East), who have won a regular-season league title 29 times, including in each of the past 10 seasons, the last three back in the Big East.

Nika Muhl had five points and seven assists, helping her set the school’s single-season assist record. The junior from Croatia has 236 assists, five more than Sue Bird (2001-02).


UConn’s Aubrey Griffin (44) is guarded by Xavier’s Aanaya Harris, left, in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, Feb. 27, 2023, in Storrs, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

Fernanda Ovalle had nine points to lead Xavier (7-22, 0-20), which lost its 19th consecutive game.

NO. 11 VILLANOVA 83, SETON HALL 56

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. (AP) — Maddy Siegrist scored 24 of her 32 points after halftime, Christina Dalce had 11 points and 11 rebounds and Villanova beat Seton Hall.

Villanova (26-5, 17-3) will be the two seed behind UConn in the Big East Tournament.

Maddie Burke added 12 points for Villanova, which has won 11 of the last 14 versus Seton Hall. The Wildcats’ 26 wins this season are their most since the 2002-03 season.

Azana Baines scored 22 points for Seton Hall (17-13, 10-10). Lauren Park-Lane, who had flu-like symptoms last week, finished with five points on 2-of-12 shooting.

BAYLOR 63, NO. 12 TEXAS 54

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Freshman Darrianna Littlepage-Buggs finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds off the bench to lead Baylor past Texas.

Littlepage-Buggs has 10 double-doubles this season for the Bears (19-10, 10-7 Big 12 Conference). Sarah Andrews added 17 points and seven rebounds, and Ja’Mee Asberry scored 10.

Reserve Taylor Jones paced the Longhorns (22-8, 13-4) with 15 points and 13 rebounds for her third double-double. Rori Harmon totaled 12 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Shaylee Gonzales scored 10.

Front-running Texas leads No. 16 Oklahoma by a half-game heading into the final weekend of the regular season.

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AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25