The phrase “Everyone Watches Women’s Sports” stood out on the Trojans’ warm-up shirts as they hit the court in Hartford, Connecticut. It wasn’t just a statement; it was a message.
The USC Trojans (10-1) faced off against the No. 4 UConn Huskies (9-1) in a much-anticipated rematch, where the Trojans pulled off a 72-70 win.
The game featured two of the top players in women’s college basketball: USC’s sophomore guard JuJu Watkins and UConn’s redshirt senior guard Paige Bueckers. This matchup carried extra significance after last year’s NCAA Elite Eight, where the No. 3-seeded Huskies defeated the top-seeded Trojans 80-73, ending USC’s historic season.
“It hit a little different knowing the history of last year and how [UConn] sent us home. It is just a testament to when you give women a platform we’re going to perform.” Watkins said.
Both teams brought new talent to this year’s game. The Trojans added graduate guard Talia von Oelhoffen and graduate forward Kiki Iriafen, who have made a big impact this season. UConn countered with standout freshman forward Sarah Strong, who has quickly become a key player for the Huskies.
Although Iriafen was not part of the Trojan team which lost to the Huskies in last year’s Elite Eight, she still felt the importance of the rematch.
“Losing to UConn…we didn’t want that to happen again,” Iriafen said. “This game was super big for us, and we all showed up today.”
This game also marked the return of USC’s freshman guard Kennedy Smith, known as ‘Kendawg,’ after recovering from an injury. Smith put up three 3-pointers for the Trojans this game, reminding everyone why she’s such a crucial part of the team.
USC came out firing, jumping to a 9-0 lead behind a layup from senior center Rayah Marshall and a 3-pointer by Watkins. Although UConn closed the gap to 11-10 midway through the first quarter, USC responded with a 7-0 surge fueled by Smith’s first 3-pointer of the game. By the end of the first, USC led 24-15.
In the second quarter, USC’s 3-point shooting took center stage. Smith, von Oelhoffen and freshman guard Kayleigh Heckel each sank threes, extending the Trojans’ lead to 35-23. Watkins added another from beyond the arc, and Iriafen scored back-to-back buckets to send USC into halftime with a 13-point advantage. Watkins led all scorers with 15 points at the break, while Iriafen dominated the boards with nine rebounds.
The Huskies rallied back in the third quarter, fueled by a 10-0 run as USC struggled with turnovers. Iriafen’s strong play kept USC afloat, but UConn cut the lead to six points, trailing 55-49 heading into the final quarter.
The fourth quarter was the one to pay attention to. UConn’s 3-point shooting carved USC’s lead to a single point at 64-63 with 5:22 remaining. Moments later, UConn took its first lead of the game during a 7-0 rally, making it 65-64 with 4:35 on the clock. USC’s response came quickly as Watkins converted a three-point play. Marshall delivered a clutch basket with 1:20 left, giving USC a 69-67 edge. Watkins’ free throws extended the lead to 72-69 with 19.5 seconds to go.
UConn had a chance to tie after drawing a foul from Watkins on a 3-point attempt, but only one of three free throws fell. Despite grabbing the rebound, the Huskies couldn’t get off a final shot before the buzzer, sealing USC’s 72-70 victory.
“This is a really significant win and it’s a really significant win because of the stature of UConn’s program,” USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “When we lost to Notre Dame, it would have been really easy to blame people, to fracture apart, to listen to outside stuff and I said, ‘hey as long as we stick together we can, this can, make us better,’ and it has, it has in every way.”
USC’s depth was key to the win. Coach Gottilieb praised the versatility of the roster, noting Smith’s 3-pointers, Heckel’s poise as a freshman and Rayah’s critical plays.
“We just felt like it had to be a five-player operation,” Gottlieb said.
This recognition of individual contributions reinforced how the Trojans were able to regroup and assess themselves to play effectively against big competitors like UConn.
The Trojans will return to Galen Center on December 29 to host Michigan, hoping to carry the momentum from this win into the remaining games on their schedule.