Paige Bueckers, UConn’s star guard, led the Huskies to a glorious victory over the University of Southern California (USC) 78-64 in their Elite Eight encounter, marking the team’s 24th Final Four appearance in illustrious history. The game played in Spokane, was a platform for Bueckers’ magic as she proceeded to score 31 points and six assists.
The tourney was held with a matchup of No. 2 seed UConn and No. 1 seed USC, who lost star player JuJu Watkins to a torn ACL in the previous rounds of the tournament. The Trojans fought courageously, with senior Rayah Marshall recording a 23-point, 15-rebound performance.
UConn took the early advantage, showing an efficient offense and good defense at least through the early stages. Freshman forward Sarah Strong gave Bueckers good support with a double-double of 22 points and 17 rebounds. The Huskies defense held USC to shooting 33 percent from the field and thwarted other Trojan scoring threats.
USC surged back in the third quarter, cutting a 19-point deficit down to just five by the end of the quarter. UConn, however, responded in the fourth quarter with Bueckers and Azzi Fudd, both sophomore guards dialing in big threes to regain rhythm in the game and secure the victory.
It was in UConn’s 16th Final Four appearance in the last 17 NCAA tournaments, a testimony to the sustained excellence of the program under head coach Geno Auriemma. Auriemma commented on the achievement amidst disturbances, explaining that he was very proud of how much the team had been through together and how they had tough times as well as bright days.
Bueckers’ stellar performance continues her off-the-charts tournament run, having scored 40 points in the Sweet 16 against Oklahoma. Apart from Bueckers’ scoring feats that helped lead UConn’s success, she is now fifth in all-time NCAA Tournament scoring with 444 points.
Next, UConn encounters No. 1 seed UCLA in Tampa, Florida, at the national semifinals. The Bruins will challenge the Huskies in the best way possible, but with this bracket giving way to some momentum and excellent plays led by Bueckers, both will ensure they get a higher seat toward their national title since 2016.
With this defeat, USC’s season is over, but the Trojans take with them plenty of pride after reaching the Elite Eight despite their adversities with the loss of their paramount player. The spirit and resolve shown by the girls in the tournament indicate a bright future for the program.
As the Final Four nears, all eyes will be on Paige Bueckers and the UConn Huskies to see if they can continue their march toward a national championship.
