Paige Bueckers carries UConn to record 24th women’s Final Four with 78-64 win over USC

Paige Bueckers and her UConn teammates didn’t cut down the net after securing a trip to the Final Four, even though a ladder was set up and ready to go.

The reason was simple: The Huskies aren’t done yet.

Bueckers carried UConn to its record 24th national semifinal in the women’s NCAA Tournament, scoring 31 points Monday night in a 78-64 victory over Southern California, which couldn’t overcome the loss of injured star JuJu Watkins.

UConn (35-3) heads to Tampa, Florida, to face overall No. 1 seed UCLA on Friday.

Freshman Sarah Strong added 22 points and 17 rebounds for the second-seeded Huskies, who have won a record 11 NCAA titles, all under coach Geno Auriemma. Their most recent championship was in 2016, the last of a run of four straight.

“We’ve got a whole lot of heart, and a whole lot of toughness about us. And we play together as a team. We’re super well-connected,” Bueckers said. “I feel like every team that I’ve played on, we’ve been super well-connected. But just the way we’ve been through so much adversity as individuals, as a team, how much it’s brought us together, how much it’s made us stronger.”

Rayah Marshall scored 23 points and 15 rebounds for top-seeded USC (31-4), which also lost to UConn in the Elite Eight last year when Watkins was a freshman.

Fans undoubtedly anticipated a rematch between Bueckers and Watkins when the brackets were announced, but the matchup lost some luster when Trojans’ star guard tore an ACL in the second round and needed surgery.

While the Trojans got past Kansas State in the Sweet 16 without Watkins, they had a tougher challenge against UConn and Bueckers, the likely No. 1 overall pick in next month’s WNBA draft.

UConn led by 19 points in the third quarter, but USC got within 51-46 going into the fourth. Bueckers and Azzi Fudd made consecutive 3-pointers that extended the Huskies’ lead to 62-48.

Avery Howell’s 3-pointer closed the gap to 70-61 with 1:04 left, but the Trojans got no closer.

After scoring just two points in the opening quarter, Bueckers had 11 points in the final period.

“None of it would happen without the team, and everything that goes into a performance,” she said. “So just trying to lead with what the game is calling for, lead with what we need at that moment, at that time, whether it’s passing, rebounding, scoring, just trying to do whatever it takes to win.”

Bueckers, a senior, earned AP All-America honors and was the Big East player of the year for the third time. The only thing left for her to achieve is a national title after she and the Huskies were beaten in the Final Four last year by Caitlin Clark and Iowa.

She has averaged 35 points in her last three March Madness games, including career highs of 40 points and six 3-pointers in the Huskies’ 82-59 rout of Oklahoma in the Sweet 16.

USC was seeking its first Final Four appearance since 1986 and first title since going back-to-back in 1983 and ’84.

The Trojans led early before Strong made back-to-back jumpers for the Huskies to pull in front 12-11. Bueckers didn’t get her first basket until nine minutes into the game.

With Bueckers off to a slow start, Strong took over, nailing a 3-pointer that gave the Huskies a 21-13 lead. Bueckers hit a 3 to give the Huskies a 39-25 lead at the half.

Another 3 by Bueckers gave UConn a 47-30 lead before USC responded with an 11-0 run.

“I think there was never a point where this team gave up, so making that run was huge,” the Trojans’ Talia von Oelhoffen said. “Coming out of halftime, we just needed to have a good third quarter, but just felt like we couldn’t get stops when we needed to at critical moments during runs. So, credit to UConn and the adjustments they made and getting big shots.”

Honoring JuJu

Just like in the Sweet 16, USC’s players had a small Watkins Funko Pop with them. The doll was tucked in a shoe in Watkins’ place during the national anthem, then on the Trojan bench during the game.

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