Mercury's Taurasi And Others Shine In Big East Tournament

The Phoenix Mercury have ties to the Big East, and some of those players won a special award.

Sep 17, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) reacts after the game against the LA Sparks at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Big East has had several stars, and some of them had the chance to shine in the Big East Tournament.

This tournament began in 1983, and when it came to the championship game, St. John's defeated Providence. It was a good game, and in the end, St. John's picked up a 74-63 win.

Debbie Beckford helped her team win, and she won the Most Outstanding Player. At the time, it was known as the Most Valuable Player.

Over the years, there were some other greats who won the award, as Rebecca Lobo won in 1994. She would join the New York Liberty later on, and she became the third UConn player to win the award.

After Lobo's win, UConn had a phenomenal run, and a UConn player won the award eight years in a row.

Jan 27, 2024; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; WNBA player and former UConn Huskies player Diana Taurasi waves to the crowd as she and other players are recognized for their championship wins at UConn before the start of the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

Taurasi helps UConn get the win

The Phoenix Mercury were represented in 2001, as Diana Taurasi won Most Outstanding Player. UConn beat Notre Dame 78-76 in that game, and Sue Bird made a shot at the buzzer. That was Taurasi's first season, and she averaged 10.9 points, 3.3 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals. She had a nice performance in UConn's win, and because of that, she earned a special accolade.

Another player with Mercury ties won the award five years later, as Ann Strother helped UConn beat West Virginia.

May 25, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; The Under Armour shoes worn by LA Sparks guard Kelsey Plum against the Chicago Sky at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Strother was the star of that game, as she had 20 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal. UConn had another player who scored in double figures, as Renee Montgomery had 11 points. She also had two rebounds and an assist.

Strother had her best season that year, as she averaged 13.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists and a steal. After that, she started her WNBA career with the Mercury, and she played eight games with them. She played with the Indiana Fever and the Atlanta Dream following that season.

A few years later, another Mercury player won, as Charde Houston helped UConn beat Louisville. She played with the Mercury in 2012 and 2013, and in her first season, she averaged 12.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.3 steals.

It was some years before another player with Mercury ties won the Most Outstanding Player, but Lexi Held did it in 2020. She had 31 points, and she helped DePaul get an 88-74 win over Marquette.

Phoenix Mercury teammates Lexi Held, left, and Kahleah Copper practice at Mountain America Performance Center before their WNBA Finals series against the Las Vegas Aces on Oct. 1, 2025, in Phoenix. / Joseph Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Mercury have had some talented players, and some of them had impressive performances in the Big East Tournament.

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