JuJu Watkins scores 25 as USC women hold off Paige Bueckers and UConn

JuJu Watkins scored 25 points and No 7 USC recovered from blowing a 18-point lead in the second half to beat Paige Bueckers and fourth-ranked UConn 72-70 on Saturday night.

The game was a rematch of last season’s Elite Eight contest that the Huskies won and featured two of the best players in women’s college basketball with All-Americans Bueckers and Watkins. The pair guarded each other for most of the game.

Bueckers finished with 22 points.

With the game tied at 67, Watkins passed the ball to Rayah Marshall for a layup with 1:21 left to give USC the lead.

After a miss by the Huskies, Watkins was fouled with 31 seconds left. She missed the first of two free throws as the ball sat on the rim for a few seconds before falling off. She made the second to give the Trojans (11-1) a 70-67 advantage.

UConn (10-2), who trailed 51-33 in the third quarter before rallying, answered with a basket by Sarah Strong to get within one four seconds later.

Watkins then hit two free throws with 19.5 seconds left to make it 72-69.

The Huskies had one last chance to tie when Strong was fouled shooting a three-pointer with 5 seconds left. She made the first free throw, but missed the second. The freshman missed the third intentionally and UConn got the rebound. It eventually went out to Strong, whose desperation heave at the buzzer was off.

This was the Trojans’ first test since losing to Notre Dame on 23 November. Now they face three ranked Big Ten teams in their next four games.

This was the second top-10 team the Huskies have faced this season and they are now 0-2 after also falling to Notre Dame.

Earlier in the third quarter, Watkins blocked Bueckers’ shot then took the ball to the other end and scored after a going through her legs with UConn’s star guarding her.

A game after hitting a school-record 20 three-pointers, UConn were just 6 for 23 from behind the three-point arc.