The UConn women’s basketball team is headed to the Final Four after a 78-64 victory over USC in the Spokane 4 regional final. Paige Bueckers played a pivotal role in securing the win, leading the Huskies with 31 points, six assists, three rebounds, and four steals. Despite an early challenge from USC, the absence of All-American JuJu Watkins, who was sidelined due to a torn ACL, proved to be a significant setback for the Trojans.

Bueckers Takes Over in Second Half

USC started strong, opening an 11-5 lead in the opening moments of the game, controlling the boards and limiting UConn’s top scorers. However, Sarah Strong ignited a 9-0 run that put the Huskies ahead 14-11 at the end of the first quarter. Bueckers, who had just two points in the opening period, found her rhythm in the second, finishing the half with 13 points and leading UConn to a 39-25 halftime advantage.

Bueckers’ incredible shooting continued as she hit back-to-back 3-pointers to extend the UConn lead. The Trojans, despite the absence of Watkins, fought back hard, trimming the deficit to just five points by the end of the third quarter. However, UConn’s depth and firepower ultimately proved too much to handle.

Strong and Fudd Contribute to Huskies’ Dominance

Strong, who had one of her best performances of the season, scored 22 points and grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds, alongside four assists and one steal. Her efforts were crucial in the second and third quarters, helping the Huskies maintain their lead after a slow start. Azzi Fudd, who struggled through most of the game, found her form in the fourth quarter, hitting two key 3-pointers to extend the lead back to double digits.

Despite shooting just 3-of-14 from the field, Fudd contributed eight points, and her 3-pointers in the final quarter proved decisive in putting the game out of reach for USC.

USC’s Struggle Without Watkins

Without JuJu Watkins, USC found it difficult to keep pace with UConn’s offensive firepower. Rayah Marshall led the Trojans with 23 points and 15 rebounds, but the team shot only 32.8% from the field and 23.1% from three-point range. Even though USC had a strong 42-31 rebounding advantage, it couldn’t overcome UConn’s superior shooting, as the Huskies finished shooting 45% from the field and 45.5% from beyond the arc.

UConn Advances to the Final Four

UConn’s victory propels them into the Final Four, where they will face top-seeded UCLA. The other semifinal will feature top seeds South Carolina and Texas. UConn, a No. 2 seed, is the only non-No. 1 seed to make it this far, marking a significant step towards their first NCAA title since 2016. Bueckers, who is on a historic tear this tournament, continues to solidify her place in UConn and NCAA basketball history as she seeks her first-ever national championship