USC Women’s Basketball Beats UConn in Electrifying Finish

The USC Women’s Basketball team defeated UConn by two points in a hard-fought nailbiter, winning 72-70. Both teams had 10-1 records, with losses to Notre Dame, and USC had a point to prove since losing to UConn in last year’s Elite Eight in the 2024 March Madness Tournament. JuJu Watkins and Kiki Iriafen, USC’s prolific guard and forward duo, lead their team with 25 and 16 points, respectively, against UConn’s guard and forward duo, Paige Bueckers and Sarah Strong, who both posted 22 points. While UConn started off cold, lagging behind by as much as 18 points, they warmed up quickly in the second half, although falling short in the end. 

UConn initially started off stagnant and passive, looking like what could be a blowout by USC. USC’s defense was suffocating and all-encompassing; although facing some early foul trouble, this did not scare them into shrinking. JuJu Watkins shot well from all positions on the court early, and KiKi Iriafen showed off her sweet midrange game. It was clear early on that an undersized UConn’s lack of three-point shooting would be an obstacle for them as they scored only one three-pointer in the first half and shot only 26% throughout the game from the three-point line. This lack of three-point threat created difficult spacing for their offense as USC’s defense packed densely inwards, and UConn was not strong or big enough to attack efficiently within the paint, barring Sarah Strong. UConn’s other bigs, notably Ice Brady, did not do much to help take some of the pressure off Bueckers and Strong. UConn gained a bit more momentum in the second quarter of the game when Azzi Fudd checked in. Although she played limited minutes coming off of a knee sprain, she gave UConn some of the spacing they needed against USC’s defense due to her lethal three-point prowess despite scoring no points in the game. However, simply her presence as a threat opened up looks for other UConn guards, notably Ashlynn Shade and Morgan Cheli. 

Despite USC’s dominant start, UConn began the second half on a 10-0 run and more efficient three-point shooting from its guards. USC began turning over the ball more frequently, and JuJu Watkins cooled off in her offense. Despite USC not experiencing much foul trouble in the second half, this is when Paige Bueckers and Sarah Strong began to shine when exploiting the holes in their defense. UConn accumulated 41 points in the second half while USC accumulated 30, resulting in a lead change in favor of UConn late in the fourth quarter. With five seconds left in the second half and USC leading by three points, Sarah Strong headed to the line with three free throws after being fouled on the three-point line. She only made one of them, however, and despite still getting off another shot before the end of the game, UConn ultimately fell short. The bonus for USC and lack of foul trouble in the fourth quarter also helped them cradle the win at the end, along with their ability to remain in stride with UConn even when the momentum began to fall away from them.