From the opening tip, the Huskies were all business—ending the first quarter up 29–9. The full‑court press suffocated the Bluejays, forcing turnover after turnover in the first three minutes. UConn’s defense built a 7–0 lead before the offense even found its rhythm. Once that first shot fell, it was “game” for the Connecticut giants, and they never looked back.
Creighton couldn’t get on the board—couldn’t even register a shot—until there were seven minutes left in the quarter.
After a 2‑on‑1 break for UConn and a 27–4 lead, Coach Geno Auriemma was seen chatting with Sarah Strong before she took a seat on the bench, just after showing off a slick, volleyball‑touch layup. Despite the score, Creighton didn’t pack it in. Townsend tried to spark her side with a deep three, but it fell short.
The Bluejays may not have stood a chance today, but they’re building something special. Creighton finished 2nd last year and 5th this season with a freshman‑heavy roster.
Arnold and Strong led the way with 9 points apiece in the first. Strong added four steals, while Arnold had two of her own—jump‑starting the sequence that effectively ended Creighton’s hopes well before halftime. Geno went to his bench early, getting critical reps for players who could start anywhere in the country.
UConn Doesn’t Slow Down—Ever
Despite the massive lead and a bench‑heavy rotation, the Huskies’ hunger only grew. With 2:35 left in the second quarter, just three Huskies remained scoreless.
This team is strong, undefeated, and closing in on 50 straight for a reason. They train for chaos—not because they expect it, but because they know how to respond when it comes. Playing for UConn is different. Expectations are higher, and not everyone can meet them. That’s why Geno Auriemma, with over 1,217 victories and 11+ national championships, is the best to ever do it.
Geno on this year’s team:
“It’s different in that we have more ways to play. We have more bodies that can contribute… Defensively, we’re able to be more disruptive than we have been in maybe the last ten years… We’re not better or worse—we’re different. And when we’re on our game, we’re as effective as we were last year at this time.”
UConn led 57–22 at halftime—up 35. Yesterday, they were up 29 at the break over Georgetown.
Halftime Messages
UConn: Clean it up. Too many unforced mistakes. Prepare for tomorrow, but take care of today. Starter or reserve, the standard doesn’t change.
Creighton: Breathe. Relax. Play your game. Flanery is probably telling his players:
Remember why you enjoy this game and go give it your all. Seniors, leave it all out there—no regrets.
UConn Continues Dominance
Fans stood until the first hoop of the half—a tradition as reliable as UConn’s dominance. Serah Williams finally scored 1:28 into the third, but not before picking up her fourth foul. Townsend answered with a fadeaway jumper but missed the and‑one.
At the media timeout, UConn led 70–31. Allie Ziebell forced a travel, then buried a three to stretch it to 73–31. The Huskies kept the pedal down.
With UConn up 76–31, Creighton called a timeout to regroup. Jana El Alfy added another bucket before the quarter ended, and the Huskies led 82–38 heading into the fourth.
To their credit, Creighton refused to fold, fighting to keep the deficit under 50.
Heading to the Finals
Creighton’s Grace Boffeli sprinted the court to reject a UConn layup after a turnover, down nearly 50, still giving everything. It’s a testament to Creighton’s culture and what they’re building.
Postgame: Creighton Coach Jim Flanery
Bad Dawg Sports caught up with Coach Jim Flanery postgame, and he delivered one of the most honest, human, and revealing breakdowns of the tournament — including thanking you directly for recognizing his team’s heart:
“Yeah, thanks for that. Yeah, we have really good young people in our program, and I think they’re about the right things. And Grace has been an incredible addition to our team. I mean, I just told her in the locker room that I don’t know what we were shooting for when we… when we went into the portal, because you kind of, it’s so quick, and it’s, you know, you’re trying to grab what you can. But I think we hit a bullseye with her. Like, I feel like she, from a culture standpoint, from a work ethic standpoint, and a rebounding standpoint, I said, ‘you changed our rebounding culture.’ As good a team as we’ve had in the last few years, I had to yell at them a lot to rebound—I never had to yell, well, a couple times, but yeah, and that’s what you want. But, you know, to the point, I felt like that’s who we’ve been all year. I was a little frustrated late third quarter—I felt like we felt sorry for ourselves. I think that’s easy to do when you play UConn: have stretches where you feel sorry for yourself. ‘Well, that too doesn’t matter,’ or ‘that basket doesn’t matter because it’s a whatever.’ But… big picture, I feel like this team has been really fun to coach. You know, it’s state tournament time in high schools, right? The Nebraska state tournament ended yesterday. And these guys were playing in high school state tournaments 52 weeks ago, and today they’re guarding Sarah Strong, KK Arnold, Azzi Fudd. It’s a big thing and hard to do. And to your observation, I feel like we didn’t meet the moment in some ways, but in terms of just the competitiveness part, I felt like we didn’t back down, and that’s what you want. That’s the optimism we’ll carry, hopefully, into the postseason and into next year. I’m gonna dub you.”
Creighton Head Coach Jim Flanery when asked by J.J. Pavlick of Bad Dawg Sports
That is the full picture — the culture, the honesty, the frustration, the pride, the gratitude, the context, the humanity. That’s the story.
UConn’s Perspective: The Standard Remains the Standard
Geno on the fast start:
“KK’s pressure on their point guard set the tone. We took away everything they wanted to run. When we defend like that, it’s just a matter of when the offense gets going.”
KK Arnold on her confidence:
“It’s about trusting myself to be aggressive, which opens things up for my teammates. Their confidence in me fuels every possession.”
Paisley, a veteran, on the team’s depth:
“Everyone who played scored or grabbed a rebound. Even beyond the stats, players made great passes, smart reads, and set important screens. Having this much depth has been amazing.”
Arnold added:
“Having so many healthy players lets us be aggressive but smart. No matter who comes in, the pressure stays the same.”
The Final Push
UConn closed it out the way they started: relentless, professional, hungry. With 5:30 left, the lead hit 50 (93–43). The “100 watch” was on. The Huskies reached the century mark with just over a minute to play and finished off Creighton, 100–51.
They now await the winner of Villanova vs. Seton Hall for the Big East title.
This is what greatness looks like—top to bottom, start to finish. The Huskies are chasing history, and they aren’t slowing down for anyone.
March doesn’t hand out mercy, and UConn didn’t ask for any. If you want every courtside moment, every quote, every Dawg‑fight possession for just $2/year, join the pack. This is where real March coverage lives. 👇
