In a year with injuries and occasional ups and downs, the UConn women’s basketball team found momentum at the right time to power through the Big East Tournament to secure another conference championship and a trip to the NCAA tournament.

Following Monday’s 67-56 victory over Villanova, UConn head coach Geno Auriemma addressed the long path to a Big East title and a bid to the next step of the postseason.

“For most of us that have been in it all year long, it has been incredibly trying, both physically and emotionally,” Auriemma told SNY’s Chelsea Sherrod on Monday. “You can’t put into words that feeling where you’re exhausted but you’ve done something very special.”

“It almost felt like a chapter had been closed,” Auriemma added when speaking to reporters after the win. “I can sit back now and really let everything wash over you that you’ve been holding in.”

With the conference tournament in the rearview mirror, the Huskies look to earn a trip to the Final Four for a 14th consecutive season among a crowded field of contenders.

“Everybody has had their turn,” Auriemma said. “Everybody has looked the part. That’s a great sign for the NCAA tournament. More teams are in the mix, as it should be. There has to be an uncertainty to the games. The talent has spread out a little bit more now. I think this might be one of the more exciting NCAA tournaments in recent years.”

Auriemma noted that his team’s experience through adversity this season can pay off in March.

“We’ve been in so many of those situations,” Auriemma said. “We have enough to figure it out. That’s a good thing to have in your back pocket. The NCAA tournament is a different animal.”

UConn will find out its first opponent in the NCAA Tournament during Sunday’s bracket announcement.