No. 2 UCLA women take second straight Big Ten title in 96-45 win over ninth-ranked Iowa

By Canadian Press on March 8, 2026.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Gianna Kneepkens scored 19 points and Kiki Rice added 15 points and eight assists Sunday as No. 2 UCLA rolled past No. 9 Iowa 96-45 to win its second straight Big Ten Tournament crown.

Rice was named the tourney’s Most Outstanding Player.

It’s the first time the Bruins (31-1) have captured back-to-back postseason conference titles, and it’s also the first time they have won regular-season and league tournament titles in the same season. The Bruins also extended their school-record win streak to 25 games and their Big Ten win streak to 24, dating to last season’s tourney run.

And they did it with most the lopsided championship-game margin in tournament history, easily surpassing Iowa’s 33-point win over Ohio State in 2023. Five UCLA players scored in double figures, including Sienna Betts — the younger sister of star center Lauren Betts — who matched a season high with 14 points. Lauren Betts had 10 points in 24 minutes.

Ava Heiden scored 15 points for the Hawkeyes (26-6). Addie Deal added 11 points while all-conference forward Hannah Stuelke struggled as she played through a right elbow injury and an illness for the third straight day. Stuelke was scoreless on 0-for-4 shooting and had only three rebounds as Iowa’s eight-game winning streak was snapped.

NO. 1 UCONN 100, CREIGHTON 51

Sarah Strong had 23 points, seven rebounds and six steals to lead UConn to a win over Creighton in the Big East semifinals as the Huskies advanced to a conference championship game for the 22nd season in a row.

UConn (33-0) shot 71% from 3-point range in the first three quarters on the way to its 49th consecutive win. It was also the 38th conference tournament win in a row as the Huskies scored 100 points in the Big East tournament for the first time. Kayleigh Heckel added nine points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Huskies.

Kennedy Townsend had 13 points for Creighton (16-15), which was looking to advance to conference title games in consecutive seasons for the first time since losing in the 2009 and 2010 Missouri Valley Conference championship games.

UConn made 11 of its first 13 shots as the Huskies jumped out to a 27-4 lead, Creighton only hit consecutive shots twice in the first half. Strong had 17 points, four rebounds, four assists, six steals and two blocked shots in the first half. Arnold had 15 points on 7-of-7 shooting at halftime as the Huskies lead 57-22 at the break.

NO. 4 TEXAS 78, NO. 3 SOUTH CAROLINA 61

GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP)- Madison Booker scored 18 points as Texas sprinted to a 14-0 lead and beat three-time defending champion South Carolina to win its first Southeastern Conference Tournament title.

Booker was named MVP of the tournament. Justice Carlton added 15 points and Jordan Lee had 12 for the Longhorns (31-3), who joined the SEC in 2024.

Texas shot 57% from the field to avenge last year’s 19-point loss to the Gamecocks in the championship game.

Joyce Edwards had 13 points for the Gamecocks (31-3), who had their 12-game win streak snapped.

The powerhouse programs split two tightly contested meetings earlier this season, with the Longhorns winning 66-64 at a neutral site in November and the Gamecocks earning a measure of revenge with a 68-65 win on their home floor in January.

This one was never close.

NO. 15 WEST VIRGINIA 62, NO. 10 TCU 53

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jordan Harrison scored 20 points, Sydney Shaw added 17 and West Virginia avenged two regular-season losses to TCU by beating the reigning Big 12 Tournament champion in the conference title game.

Harrison also had six rebounds and four assists while wreaking havoc on defense, and Kierra Wheeler contributed 10 points, helping the second-seeded Mountaineers (27-6) win their second Big 12 tourney title and first since the 2016-17 season.

Olivia Miles, the league player of the year, scored 17 points for No. 1 seed TCU (29-5) despite playing most of the way in foul trouble. Marta Suarez added 16 points but was just 6 of 19 from the field and fouled out in the final minute.

West Virginia led 56-43 with 90 seconds left before TCU ran off seven straight points to provide some hope. But Harrison, a senior from Oklahoma City, calmly made two free throws with 33.4 seconds remaining to help put the game away.

NO. 13 DUKE 70, NO. 12 LOUISVILLE 65, OT

DULUTH, Ga. (AP) — Taina Mair had 19 points and 12 rebounds, Delaney Thomas also scored 19 and Duke rallied to win its second straight women’s Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament title after beating Louisville.

Thomas’ layup with 4 seconds left in regulation tied the game at 60-all and sent it to overtime after Louisville held the lead for 35 of 40 minutes.

In overtime, another layup by Thomas moved the Blue Devils (24-8) ahead to stay, and Riley Nelson put the game away when she buried a 3-pointer with 6 seconds left. Nelson finished with 12 points.

Imari Berry scored 18 points and Mackenly Randolph had 17 points and 11 rebounds for Louisville (27-7). Randolph played all 45 minutes.

Mair was named MVP of the tournament.

The Associated Press

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