Marquette University Athletics
WBB To Face No. 7 UConn in BIG EAST Semifinal
3/6/2022 11:14:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Golden Eagles take on Huskies Sunday at 2 p.m. CT
Full Notes (PDF)
UNCASVILLE, Conn. – The Marquette women's basketball team (21-9, 13-7 BIG EAST) continues postseason play this weekend as it takes on No. 7 UConn (23-5, 16-1 BIG EAST) in the BIG EAST Tournament semifinal round on Sunday afternoon. The 5-seed Golden Eagles and 1-seed Huskies will tip-off at 2 p.m. (CT) at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. The game will be broadcast on FS1, with Lisa Byington (play-by-play), Sarah Kustok (analyst) and Kim Adams (Sideline) on the call. Live stats are available at GoMarquette.com.
The Golden Eagles finished the regular season with a 20-9 overall record and a 13-7 mark in league play to earn the 5-seed. In the first round of the BIG EAST Tournament, Marquette used an efficient offensive attack and a dominant rebounding performance to earn a 105-85 win over 4-seed DePaul on Friday afternoon.
UConn won the league's regular season title after going 16-1 in conference matchups. The Huskies have won eight-straight games, including three-straight by 40-plus points. In the quarterfinal round Friday morning, they posted an 84-38 win over 9-seed Georgetown.
The Huskies won both matchups against MU this season, first coming out on top in a 72-58 decision in Milwaukee on Feb. 13, then winning at home 69-38 just 10 days later in Hartford, Connecticut.
Connecticut has been led this season by senior guard Christyn Williams, who is averaging 14.9 points per game. Senior forward Olivia Nelson-Ododa leads the squad in both rebounds (7.5) and assists (3.9) per game. The Huskies are coached by Geno Auriemma, in his 37th season with the program.
SCOUTING THE HUSKIES
• UConn won the BIG EAST regular season crown to earn the top seed in the tournament, going 16-1 in conference play and 22-5 overall in the regular season.
• The Huskies have strung together nine-straight wins, the past three coming by at least 40 points.
• In the BIG EAST Quarterfinals, UConn took down 9-seed Georgetown 84-38.
• Playing the majority of the season without 2021 Wooden Award winner Paige Bueckers, senior guard Christyn Williams stepped up to lead the Huskies with 14.9 points per contest. Senior forward Olivia Nelson-Ododa leads the squad in both rebounds (7.5) and assists (3.9) per contest.
• UConn leads the league and ranks second nationally in field goal percentage (.487). It also boasts the BIG EAST's best field goal percentage defense (.355).
• The Huskies rank fifth in the nation in assists per game with 19.0, and have a 1.36 assist-to-turnover ratio, seventh in the country.
ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST UCONN
• Wednesday's game will mark the 15th all-time meeting between Marquette and Connecticut, a series which began in 2006.
• The Huskies have swept the all-time series, 14-0.
• The teams faced off twice in the regular season. UConn won in Milwaukee on Feb. 13, 72-58, before posting a 69-38 win over MU at home just 10 days later.
STARTING FIVE
• The Golden Eagles are 40-16 in conference action under Coach Duffy.
• Coach Duffy is off to the best coaching start through three seasons of any coach in program history. She boasts a 64-24 overall mark (.727) at Marquette.
• The Golden Eagles are 53-3 under Coach Duffy when leading at halftime and 38-3 when they turn the ball over the same or fewer times than their opponent.
• MU is 33-3 when scoring more than 70 points under Coach Duffy and 44-5 when shooting more free throws than its opponent.
• In the 88 games of the Coach Duffy era, the Golden Eagles have out-rebounded their opponent in 74 of those outings.
VAN KLEUNEN NAMED TO ALL-LEAGUE TEAM
• In what was the final season of her six-year Marquette career, Lauren Van Kleunen was recognized by the league as she earned All-BIG EAST First Team honors.
• Marquette's record holder for career games played with 155, Van Kleunen had her best statistical season this year as she led the team with 13.2 points to go along with 6.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists per contest.
• She shot an efficient 47.4 percent (161-of-340) from the floor, sixth in the BIG EAST.
• Van Kleunen was twice named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll this season, and was a member of the Daytona Beach Invitational All-Tournament Team.
• This was her second-straight year being recognized by the league, after earning All-BIG EAST Second Team honors and receiving the Sportsmanship Award in 2020-21.
MAROTTA EARNS SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
• A leader both on the court and in the Marquette and Milwaukee communities, Chloe Marotta is the recipient of this year's BIG EAST Sportsmanship Award.
• Marotta serves as the president of Marquette's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
• A Milwaukee native herself, Marotta has logged countless of hours of community service with various local organizations, and has given back to the area's youth by taking place in free basketball clinics for youth and reading to kids in local schools.
• On the court, she started all 29 games for MU this year while averaging 5.8 points and a team-high 7.1 rebounds per game.
• Marquette's Lauren Van Kleunen earned the Sportsmanship Award last season.
EARLIER THIS SEASON
• In the first meeting this season between Marquette and UConn on Feb. 13 in Milwaukee, Connecticut came out on top in a 72-58 decision.
• After holding tight with the Huskies for the majority of the game, and holding a 47-45 advantage entering the final quarter, Marquette was outscored 27-11 in the final period. UConn hadn't led by more than four at any point through the first three quarters.
• Three different MU players scored in double-figures, led by Liza Karlen's 15-point, nine-rebound performance.
• UConn was led by Azzi Fudd, who finished with a game-high 24 points, 11 of those coming in the fourth.
• 10 days later in Hartford, Connecticut, MU suffered a 69-38 loss in the rematch. This was Marquette's lowest scoring output of the season.
• Marquette was unable to overcome a slow start to the contest as UConn held it to just 29 percent (6-of-21) shooting in the first half while forcing 12 turnovers.
• Marquette was led by Lauren Van Kleunen, who finished with 12 points.
• Evina Westbrook led the way for UConn, coming off the bench to score 17 points.
LAST TIME OUT
• Marquette used incredibly efficient offense and a dominant performance on the glass to earn a 105-85 win over 4-seed DePaul in the quarterfinal round on Saturday afternoon.
• In what was Marquette's 10th-highest scoring output of all-time, MU shot 65.7 percent (44-of-67) on the game, led by Liza Karlen's career-high 26 points and 14 boards
• MU held a 49-17 rebounding advantage in the contest.
• Along with Karlen, two other Golden Eagles scored 20-plus points as Jordan King scored a career-high tying 21 points while Lauren Van Kleunen finished with 20.
• All five Marquette starters reached double-figures.
