NEW YORK – The top-seed UConn men's basketball team (30-3) looks for BIG EAST history on Saturday when it takes on three-seed Marquette (25-8) in the BIG EAST Tournament Championship game. Tip-off on FOX is set for 6:30 p.m. with Gus Johnson, Jim Jackson and Kristina Pink on the call.
UConn enters the title game with seven BIG EAST Tournament championships, one behind Georgetown for the most in conference history. Connecticut last won the BIG EAST Tournament crown in 2011, riding Kemba Walker to a legendary five-games-in-five days title.
The Huskies advanced to their first title game in 13 years by winning a Semifinal thriller against St. John's, topping the Red Storm by a score 95-90 on Friday night. UConn was led by its backcourt in the win, as Tristen Newton and Cam Spencer became the first teammates in BIG EAST Tournament history to both notch at least 20 points and nine assists in the same game. Newton finished with 25 points, nine dimes and six rebounds, while Spencer dropped 20 and dished out a career-high nine assists.
UConn will be facing Marquette for the third time this season, sweeping the regular season series over the Golden Eagles with wins on Feb. 17 in Hartford and March 6 in Milwaukee. Connecticut and Marquette have met once before in the BIG EAST Tournament, a semifinal win for Marquette last season.
Newton leads UConn across the board this season, as the All-American averages team-highs of 15.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game. Spencer is second on the squad with 14.8 points per game and shoots 45.1 percent from 3-point range, top-five nationally. Alex Karaban adds 14.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game and frontcourt-mate Donovan Clingan chips in 12.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks. BIG EAST Freshman of the Year Stephon Castle is fifth Husky averaging double-figures at 11.0 points per game along with 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists.
Marquette advanced to its second-straight title game with wins over Villanova in the quarterfinals on Thursday and Providence in the semifinals on Friday night. Kam Jones leads MU with 16.9 points per game and is a 41.0 shooter from 3-point range, while Oso Ighodaro adds 14.2 points and a team-high 7.1 rebounds per game on 59.0 percent shooting. First Team All-BIG EAST pick Tyler Kolek posts 15.0 points and a nation-best 7.6 assists per game, but has missed MU's last several contests with an injury.
Following Saturday night's championship bout, UConn will await its NCAA Tournament fate with Sunday's Selection Show.
