Big East preview: How safe is UConn’s spot atop conference with Creighton and Marquette knocking?

Might it be the season UConn’s 10-year conference tournament title streak comes to a close?

The gap between the Huskies and the rest of the Big East has slowly closed since they rejoined the conference for the 2020-21 season. Their title streak started with seven American Athletic Conference titles in seven years.

In their first season back in the Big East in 2021, the Huskies (8-3, 1-0) didn’t lose a conference game and defeated Marquette by 34 points in the tournament title game. In Year 2, it was one loss in the regular season and a 30-point margin over Villanova in the championship game. Last season, the loss column crept up to two games and the title margin down to 11 against Villanova.

And with early struggles prompted by more season-ending injuries, another UConn streak might fall this March with Marquette, Creighton and Villanova quality contenders.

Big East outlook: UConn’s injuries could open door for new champion

UConn, which finished last season 31-6 overall and 18-2 in the Big East, is still the favorite and was the near-unanimous pick to win in a preseason vote of Big East coaches. That was in October when the Huskies’ roster was healthy and loaded with Paige Bueckers, the 2021 Big East Player of the Year; Azzi Fudd, one of the game’s cleanest shooters; Aaliyah Edwards, a projected lottery pick post in the WNBA Draft; and a group of McDonald’s All-American freshmen.

Fudd sustained a torn ACL and meniscus that ended her season after two games. Freshman center Jana El Alfy was already ruled out for the season with a ruptured Achilles sustained in the FIBA U19 World Cup. Sophomore forward Ayanna Patterson (knee) was ruled out for the season this month and Caroline Ducharme (headaches) isn’t expected back soon. UConn is down to 10 available players again and rolling with a smaller starting lineup of four guards.

The Huskies have faltered against some of the nation’s best already this season and tumbled out of the AP poll’s top 10. They struggle with turnovers and team-wide effort. But they’re still a quality contender when Bueckers is at her best both offensively and defensively. UConn rebounded with wins against ranked North Carolina and Louisville teams ahead of their Big East schedule.

Creighton, Marquette early upset contenders

Creighton (9-2, 0-1) boasts a roster with extensive experience playing together. Lauren Jensen, Emma Ronsiek, Morgan Maly and Molly Mogensen are returning starters. The Bluejays are two seasons removed from their upset of Iowa in the second round that led to an Elite Eight berth. They rely heavily on points beyond the arc averaging 35.4% from 3 (33rd) this season and hitting at a 34.3% overall clip. All five starters and the two key reserves are shooting 40% or better.

In the Big East opener, Marquette bested Creighton as it continued its best start in program history at 12-0. They were tied at 66 with three minutes to go and the Golden Eagles made key buckets down the stretch for the win.

They return leading scorer Jordan King and No. 2 leading rebounder Liza Karlen, but have six new players from a roster that went 21-11 (13-7 Big East). Frannie Hottinger, a Lehigh transfer who won the Patriot League Player of the Year, has slotted in nicely as another key rebounder. The team hits 50.9% of its attempts (seventh in D-I), including a national-best 42.6% from 3. Marquette and Creighton are ranked in the AP Top 25 with UConn.

Villanova (7-5, 0-1) is adjusting without forward Maddy Siegrist, the two-time Big East Player of the Year and the conference’s all-time leading scorer who was drafted by the Dallas Wings in April. The Wildcats, who went 30-7 and 17-3 in 2022-23, return juniors Lucy Olsen and Christina Dalce, both of whom competed with USA 3x3 in the offseason.

DePaul (8-5, 1-0) will look different without leading scorer Aneesah Morrow, who transferred to the reigning champion LSU Tigers. Fifth-year senior Anaya Peoples, a former transfer from Notre Dame, is averaging a career-high 19.7 ppg, ranking top 50 in D-I.

Seton Hall (9-3, 1-0) returns fifth-year seniors Azana Baines (15.7 ppg) and Kae Satterfield (64.4 FG%), and senior Amari Wright (6.5 apg).

Georgetown (9-2, 0-1) is honoring the memory of head coach Tasha Butts, who was hired in April and died in October two years after being diagnosed with advanced stage metastatic breast cancer. She was 41. The Hoyas are coached by Darnell Haney, who Butts hired from Jacksonville University.

Under-the-radar player to watch

There will be new leaders in scoring after the top four (Siegrist, Morrow, Seton Hall’s Lauren Park-Lane and DePaul’s Darrione Rogers) exited the conference. The rebounding crown will also have a new winner with the top four gone (Morrow, UConn’s Dorka Juhász, Siegrist and Marquette’s Chloe Marotta).

Marquette senior point guard Rose Nkumu won’t take either of those leads, but she could overtake UConn’s Nika Mühl for the conference’s assists performer. Her improvement and ability to facilitate the offense has fueled Marquette’s undefeated start.

She moved into a starting role last season and has further improved in every area so far for the Big East’s leader in scoring (80.5 ppg), assists (20.4 apg), field-goal percentage (50.9%) and 3-point percentage (42.6%). Nkumu leads the Big East in assists (4.7), shooting percentage (64%) and improved her 3-point percentage from 18.8% (6-of-32) to 58.5% (10-of-17 through 10 games). Her defense is crucial and she hit clutch baskets down the stretch to defeat Creighton.

Yahoo Sports’ prediction to win the conference

Eden Laase: UConn

Cassandra Negley: UConn

The Huskies have looked more put together and competitive in recent games with a new lineup and a ferocious defensive intensity from Bueckers. The margins are slimming, but it is still UConn’s conference to lose and this group of All-Americans won’t be the group to let the streak go quite yet.

Teams that could make noise in March

Five Big East teams made last year’s tournament: UConn, Villanova, Marquette, Creighton and St. John’s (First Four). It was the most since 2013, which was the last year of the original Big East.

UConn’s 14-year Final Four streak was snapped last season as parity rises and high school McDonald’s All-Americans choose schools outside of Connecticut. The Huskies, at their best, could compete deep into the tournament, but will need to stay as healthy as possible moving forward. Marquette and Creighton should get out of the first weekend as at-large bids.

St. John’s, which replaced four starters, and Villanova would be surprises to make the tournament and currently seem long shots to get out of a first weekend if they were to join the field. Seton Hall (19-15, 10-10) could be a sneaky add to the tournament field given its experienced returners.

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma praised the Big East competition last season and that talent level won’t fall off this season. One of the conference’s biggest strengths is experience playing together, and chances to play the historic best-of-the-best in UConn.