After enduring a series of injuries following a stellar freshman season, Paige Bueckers propelled the UConn Huskies to an impressive 80-73 victory over No. 1 USC in the Elite Eight matchup at Portland’s Moda Center on Monday night. This triumph secured UConn’s 23rd Final Four berth in program history and marked their third trip in the last four years. Notably, the Huskies have maintained an unbroken streak of victories in regional final games in the NCAA tournament since 2007.
Paige Bueckers
Next, the Huskies are set to face off against Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Final Four on Friday night in Cleveland. Iowa secured their place in the Final Four by defeating LSU, setting up a highly anticipated matchup in the semifinals.
UConn’s victory over USC completed the lineup for the women’s Final Four next weekend. Meanwhile, on the other side of the bracket, top-ranked South Carolina will square off against NC State. Of significant note, both UConn and NC State have achieved the rare feat of sending both their men’s and women’s teams to the Final Four this spring, marking a historic moment in the tournaments’ history.
JuJu Watkins Makes History Amidst a Fierce Battle
The first half of Monday night’s matchup proved to be a closely contested battle. USC surged ahead early with a 15-6 burst, only for UConn to rally back and tie the game 33-33 by halftime. JuJu Watkins played a pivotal role for USC, contributing 13 of her 29 points in the first half and setting a new NCAA record in the process. Watkins’ clutch performance included a crucial 3-pointer over Bueckers, propelling her to 899 points on the season, the most ever scored by a freshman in Division I history.
UConn Holds off USC’s Late Surge
UConn wasted no time asserting dominance in the third quarter, embarking on an 8-0 run to establish a lead over USC. Despite the Trojans’ efforts to narrow the gap, UConn maintained control, extending their advantage with a 17-7 run. McKenzie Forbes provided some resistance for USC with timely 3-pointers, but ultimately, UConn’s resilience prevailed. Though USC staged a late rally, including an impressive 8-0 run, UConn managed to stave off their opponents, securing a hard-fought victory and a spot in the Final Four.
