In the highly anticipated matchup of the two best players in women’s college basketball, JuJu Watkins won the battle against Paige Bueckers in a down to the wire contest.
The No. 7 ranked Lady Trojans found a way to close out the No. 4 Huskies 72-70. The last time the two powerhouse teams faced off was in last year’s NCAA tournament. UConn defeated USC in the Elite Eight 80-73 after a monster performance by Paige Bueckers. The UConn star recorded 28 points, pulled down 10 rebounds and had 6 assists in the tournament win. It was a different result last night, as USC pulled out a huge win on UConn’s home floor.
USC dominated in the first half after jumping out to an 18 point lead, but UConn made a ferocious comeback in the second half to shift the momentum. Ultimately, it was not enough to take down the Lady Trojans. USC was just too assertive from the very beginning of the game. They are a young, aggressive and fast-paced team that will be a force for the next few seasons. UConn almost completed the comeback, but it was too late. The back and forth action was a show for the fans in a packed XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut.
UConn’s struggles
“We can’t have two teams that show up every single night,” Bueckers said. “Whether it be our first-half team or second-half team. We have to remain consistent in who we are and what gets us to winning.”
The Huskies struggled immensely in the first half, as they did not score a bucket until nearly four minutes into the contest. USC was just too fast and too dominant inside the paint for UConn. Kiki Iriafen was a force for the Lady Trojans by securing a double-double, dropping 16 points and snagging 11 rebounds.
“It feels great to get the dub always, I think it hit a little different knowing the history of last year and how they sent us home,” said Watkins.
USC now sits at a dominant 11-1 record but sit at 5th place in the Big Ten Conference. The conference has been on fire this season, as eleven teams sit at a 10-2 or better record. In the Big East Conference, UConn falls to 10-2 but still hold the crown of 1st place.
UConn has to be able to respond early in games, or they will struggle in the quest for another championship. The Huskies have not captured a national championship since 2016, and USC will be one of the teams that stand in their way of the pursuit.
Star Power
The presumptive number one picks in the 2025 and 2027 WNBA drafts put on a show in front of a national television audience. JuJu Watkins scored 25 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, blocked 3 shots and dished 5 assists in the win. UConn’s Paige Bueckers posted 22 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists in the brutal loss.
“It was just great to see everybody that came out. I don’t think I’ve ever played in front of so many people,” Watkins said.
These two superstars are already some of the biggest faces in women’s basketball, and they will be for years to come. After pulling in a sold out crowd of 15,864 fans, it showed that Watkins and Bueckers are pure box office. Both players have massive NIL deals and multiple brand endorsements, which are growing by the day. Watkins and Bueckers alone caused the game to be televised on Fox on a national stage.
The two powerhouse schools have given basketball fans some instant classic games already. Hopefully, they will meet again during March Madness and continue to grow the global game of women’s hoops.
