UConn Huskies vs USC Trojans:- The UConn Huskies women’s basketball team punched their ticket to the Final Four tonight, March 31, 2025, defeating the USC Trojans 78-64 in a thrilling Elite Eight matchup at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. Led by Paige Bueckers’ 31 points and Sarah Strong’s 22 points and 17 rebounds, the Huskies overcame a gritty USC squad missing their star JuJu Watkins. USA news live 2025 breaks down how the UConn Huskies vs USC Trojans clash showcased UConn’s dominance and set the stage for a blockbuster Final Four.
Game Highlights
UConn’s stars delivered when it mattered most
- Paige Bueckers Shines: The All-American guard dropped 31 points on 9-of-18 shooting, adding 6 assists and 4 steals. Her consecutive three-pointers to close the second quarter gave UConn a 39-25 halftime lead (LA Times).
- Sarah Strong’s Double-Double: The freshman forward was a force with 22 points and 17 rebounds, dominating the boards and providing second-chance points (The Athletic).
- USC’s Resilience: Without Watkins (out with a torn ACL), Rayah Marshall led the Trojans with 23 points and 14 rebounds, keeping USC in the fight with an 11-0 run to end the third quarter (USC WBB on X).
The Trojans showed heart, trimming UConn’s lead to 51-46 by the end of the third quarter, but the Huskies’ depth and experience proved too much. Kaitlyn Chen’s clutch and-one in the fourth quarter pushed the lead back to 12, and UConn never looked back (The Athletic).
Key Moments
- First Half Surge: UConn led 14-11 after the first quarter, closing on a 9-0 run (X: @maggie_vanoni). Bueckers’ back-to-back threes in the second quarter ballooned the lead to 14 at halftime (LA Times).
- USC’s Third Quarter Push: Trailing by 19, the Trojans mounted an 11-0 run to close the quarter, fueled by Marshall’s 10 points in the period (USC WBB on X).
- Fourth Quarter Close: Chen’s and-one with under two minutes left stemmed USC’s comeback, securing UConn’s 14-point victory (The Athletic).
Why It Matters
UConn (35-3) advances to their 24th Final Four, an NCAA record, and will face top-seeded UCLA on April 4 in Tampa (Yahoo Sports). Bueckers, who now has 115 points over her last three games—a UConn record—solidified her case as the likely No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft (FOX Sports). Coach Geno Auriemma, with 11 national titles, continues to cement his legacy (USA Today).
USC (31-4) saw their deepest tournament run since 1986 come to an end. Despite Watkins’ absence since her ACL injury in the second round, the Trojans showed fight, with freshmen like Kennedy Smith and Avery Howell stepping up in earlier games (Bleacher Report). Marshall’s performance kept them competitive, but the lack of Watkins’ 23.9 points per game was a gap too wide to bridge (CBS Sports).
What’s Next?
UConn heads to Tampa to face UCLA in the Final Four, a matchup pitting Auriemma’s experience against the top overall seed. USC, meanwhile, looks to the future—Watkins’ recovery will be key for their 2025-26 season. Can the Huskies reclaim the national title? USA news live 2025 tracks X—“Bueckers is unreal!” Your take? Comment below!diction? Comment below!
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