Williams puts in 26 in UConn romp

Connecticut's Christyn Williams, right, goes up for a basket as Villanova's Maddy Siegrist, front left, defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Big East tournament semifinals at Mohegan Sun Arena, Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Connecticut's Christyn Williams, right, goes up for a basket as Villanova's Maddy Siegrist, front left, defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Big East tournament semifinals at Mohegan Sun Arena, Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- UConn Coach Geno Auriemma believes his team is just now rounding into form.

That's a scary thought for every other program in the nation.

Christyn Williams (Central Arkansas Christian) scored 26 points and the top-ranked Huskies used a stifling defense to overwhelm Villanova 84-39 on Sunday in the semifinals of the Big East Tournament.

Paige Bueckers had 18 points and eight assists and Olivia Nelson-Ododa added 13 points and seven rebounds for UConn (23-1).

UConn faces No. 2 seed Marquette for the Big East championship tonight. The Golden Eagles beat Creighton 64-59 in Sunday's other semifinal.

Connecticut put the game away in the first half, holding Villanova to just five baskets on 33 shots over the first 20 minutes (15%) and outscoring the Wildcats 20-3 in the second quarter.

The Wildcats had just 15 baskets on 61 shots, shooting 18% from the floor.

"When you watch a team play late in the season and all the things that you've been trying to work on come to life, it makes the kids feel like all the work and all the effort they put into it are worth it," Auriemma said.

A layup by Aaliyah Edwards gave the Huskies their first 20-point lead at 31-10 and a putback by Nelson-Ododa made it 30-point game a few minutes later. A three-point play by Bueckers at the end of the first half sent the Huskies into the locker room up 45-13.

They led 64-26 after three quarters.

Sarah Mortensen had 15 points to lead Villanova (15-6). Maddy Siegrist, the Big East's leading scorer, put up her team's first points on a three-point play, but was held scoreless the rest of the game.

NO. 3 N.C. STATE 58,

NO. 5 LOUISVILLE 56

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Raina Perez hit a jumper from near the left elbow with 2.1 seconds left to help No. 3 North Carolina State beat fifth-ranked Louisville in the championship game of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament.

Perez's shot broke a tie game in a tense finish between two of the nation's top teams in which neither led by more than one point over the final 4 minutes.

On the winning play, Perez initially started to pass to teammate Elissa Cunane rolling into the lane, but had to pull the ball back when the pass wasn't there. Instead, she collected her feet and shook off six consecutive misses dating to the second quarter to bury the jumper for the second-seeded Wolfpack (20-2).

The top-seeded Cardinals (23-3) had a final chance to win it, inbounding the ball under their own basket with 1 second left. But Dana Evans missed a three-pointer off Kianna Smith's inbounds pass at the horn, sending Wolfpack players spilling to center court to celebrate.

NO. 4 STANFORD 75,

NO. 9 UCLA 55

LAS VEGAS -- Kiana Williams scored 26 points to lead No. 4 Stanford to the Pac 12 Tournament championship with a victory over No. 9 UCLA.

Stanford, which has made the Pac-12 championship game 18 times in 20 total tournaments, improved to 14-4 in the finals while winning its third title in five years.

Lexie Hull added 24 points while Haley Jones finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds for Stanford (25-2).

Michaela Onyenwere led UCLA (16-5) with 30 points. Charisma Osborne finished with 11 points and five rebounds for the Bruins.

Onyenwere was UCLA's only bright spot in the first half, scoring 13 points. She was 5-for-11 from the floor while the rest of the team was 2-of-15 (.133).

UConn tips-off against Villanova for the start of an NCAA college basketball game at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., Sunday, March 7, 2021. (David Butler/Pool Photo via AP)
UConn tips-off against Villanova for the start of an NCAA college basketball game at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., Sunday, March 7, 2021. (David Butler/Pool Photo via AP)
Connecticut's Paige Bueckers, center, shoots as Villanova's Bella Runyan (32) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Big East tournament semifinals at Mohegan Sun Arena, Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Connecticut's Paige Bueckers, center, shoots as Villanova's Bella Runyan (32) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Big East tournament semifinals at Mohegan Sun Arena, Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Connecticut's Paige Bueckers, left, and Villanova's Bella Runyan, right, react to a foul called against Villanova during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Big East tournament semifinals at Mohegan Sun Arena, Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Connecticut's Paige Bueckers, left, and Villanova's Bella Runyan, right, react to a foul called against Villanova during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Big East tournament semifinals at Mohegan Sun Arena, Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
UConn guard Paige Bueckers, right, warms up before the start of an NCAA college basketball game against Villanova at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., Sunday, March 7, 2021. (David Butler/Pool Photo via AP)
UConn guard Paige Bueckers, right, warms up before the start of an NCAA college basketball game against Villanova at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., Sunday, March 7, 2021. (David Butler/Pool Photo via AP)
Connecticut's Christyn Williams makes a basket past Villanova's Sam Carangi right, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Big East tournament semifinals at Mohegan Sun Arena, Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Connecticut's Christyn Williams makes a basket past Villanova's Sam Carangi right, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Big East tournament semifinals at Mohegan Sun Arena, Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma talks to his team during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Villanova in the Big East tournament semifinals at Mohegan Sun Arena, Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma talks to his team during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Villanova in the Big East tournament semifinals at Mohegan Sun Arena, Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Connecticut's Christyn Williams (13) reacts to a foul against Villanova during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Big East tournament semifinals at Mohegan Sun Arena, Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Connecticut's Christyn Williams (13) reacts to a foul against Villanova during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Big East tournament semifinals at Mohegan Sun Arena, Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Villanova head coach Denise Dillion, center, talks to her team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Connecticut in the Big East tournament semifinals at Mohegan Sun Arena, Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Villanova head coach Denise Dillion, center, talks to her team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Connecticut in the Big East tournament semifinals at Mohegan Sun Arena, Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Connecticut's Christyn Williams, center, makes a basket between Villanova's Sam Carangi, left, and Villanova's Bella Runyan, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Big East tournament semifinals at Mohegan Sun Arena, Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Connecticut's Christyn Williams, center, makes a basket between Villanova's Sam Carangi, left, and Villanova's Bella Runyan, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Big East tournament semifinals at Mohegan Sun Arena, Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

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