UConn wins 8th Big East tournament title, first since 2011 - ESPN

NEW YORK — UConn Huskies coach Dan Hurley climbed the ladder with «New York, New York» playing in Madison Square Garden — or as he calls it, «Storrs South.»

Hurley, who's from New Jersey, clipped the last piece of net off the rim, let out a «Wooooo!» as he whirled it over his head and then tapped the Big East sign on the backboard before making his way back down.

Hurley and his defending national champions have eyes on even bigger prizes this March, but make no mistake, winning the Big East tournament was a big deal for the Huskies.

Donovan Clingan had 22 points and a career-best 16 rebounds, Jaylin Stewart gave No. 2 UConn an unexpected boost with three second-half 3-pointers during a decisive surge, and the Huskies beat No. 10 Marquette 73-57 on Saturday night to win the tournament for the first time since 2011.

«MSG, Big East tournament, there's nothing like it,» Hurley said. «There's just no comparison anywhere to what this place is like.»

Tournament MVP Tristen Newton added 13 points and 10 assists as the top-seeded Huskies won their eighth title, matching Georgetown for the most in conference history. It was their first since 2011, when Kemba Walker led UConn to five wins in five days at The Garden — and then a national title.

Stewart, a freshman who was averaging 2.4 points off the bench, scored nine in about four minutes as UConn (31-3) pulled away from a gritty Marquette team playing without injured star Tyler Kolek (oblique) for a sixth straight game.

Kam Jones led the third-seeded Golden Eagles (25-9), the defending tournament champions, with 13 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists.

On a night when the Huskies struggled from the perimeter, they relied on the 7-foot-2 Clingan inside. The Connecticut native was