Interesting enough, It wasn’t the most dramatic victory, but for UConn, it was exactly what was expected. The Huskies advanced to their 16th Final Four in 17 years with a 78-64 win over USC in the Elite Eight on Monday night.
Paige Bueckers, playing all 40 minutes, led the charge with 31 points, proving why she’s one of the most celebrated stars in college basketball.
The celebration after the final buzzer was subdued, almost as if UConn expected this outcome all along. No net-cutting ceremony this time—those are reserved for Tampa, where they hope to add another national championship to their storied legacy.
UConn head coach Geno Auriemma summed it up: “We’ve cut down a bunch of those,” referring to the team’s many Final Four berths.
However, the game wasn’t a breeze. USC, though missing their top player JuJu Watkins due to a season-ending knee injury, fought back fiercely.
The Trojans rallied in the second half, trimming a 19-point UConn lead down to just five heading into the fourth quarter.
Despite the Trojans’ best efforts, Bueckers made sure her team stayed ahead, scoring 11 of her 31 points in the final frame to hold off the USC surge.
Bueckers didn’t just score—she orchestrated the offense. Azzi Fudd, who had struggled for much of the game, scored all eight of her points in the fourth quarter, thanks to Bueckers’ assists.
But it wasn’t just the veteran star. Freshman Sarah Strong stepped up big, scoring 22 points and grabbing 17 rebounds, including 10 of UConn’s 14 points in the first quarter.
USC showed heart in the absence of Watkins, with standout performances from players such as Talia von Oelhoffen, who scored 10 points in the third quarter, keeping the game competitive. But UConn’s depth and star power proved too much in the end.
Auriemma praised USC’s resilience, iterating, “It’s not supposed to be easy. We had to show some grit.”