Connecticut Beats Pesky West Virginia

Ann Strother scored nine of her 20 points in the final minutes to lead No. 9-ranked Connecticut over West Virginia, 50-44, in the Big East Conference title game Tuesday night at Hartford, Conn.

The 12th-seeded Mountaineers (15-16) made the Huskies (29-4) work hard for their 13th tournament title and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, but eventually were done in by poor shooting, turnovers down the stretch and Strother, the tournament’s most outstanding player.

It was the lowest score to win the title in the tournament’s 23-year history.

Britney Davis-White’s jump shot with 6:54 left cut Connecticut’s lead to 34-33. But Strother scored all the points in a 9-2 run and the Huskies increased their lead again.

Davis-White and Olayinka Sanni combined for the next six points to get West Virginia within two points and the Mountaineers hung tough the rest of the way.

Middle Tennessee 84, Western Kentucky 73 -- Chrissy Givens had 24 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Lady Raiders (20-10) in the Sun Belt Conference tournament title game at Murfreesboro, Tenn.

The Lady Toppers (24-6), who had won 13 games in a row, squandered an 18-4 lead.

Oakland (Mich.) 65, Western Illinois 56 -- Anne Hafeli matched her season high with 25 points to help the sixth-seeded Golden Grizzlies (15-15) win the Mid-Continent Conference tournament title at Tulsa, Okla.

Zane Teilane scored a career-high 28 points and set a conference tournament record with 22 rebounds for the top-seeded Westerwinds (23-6).