All systems go for a titanic matchup on Saturday night. We’ve got JuJu Watkins vs. Paige Bueckers, No. 4 vs. No. 7, East vs. West action. This is set to be one of the most-watched games of the season.
How to watch No. 7 USC at No. 4 UConn
Venue: XL Center — Hartford, Conn.
Time: 8 p.m. ET Saturday
TV: FOX
Streaming: Fubo (try for free)
The nation saw these two duel in April. The Huskies knocked off the Trojans in the Elite Eight, with Bueckers going intergalactic (28 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks and 0 seconds on the bench).
This iteration of UConn is 10-1 despite the losses of Aaliyah Edwards and Nika Mühl from last year’s starting lineup. In a bid for its first national title since 2016, Geno Auriemma’s squad is scoring 81 a game and leads the nation in field goal percentage. Bueckers is scintillating once again, with four outbursts of 25 or more points and the best effective shooting rate in the Big East. But the breakout star is freshman Sarah Strong, who is averaging 17.3 points and 8.3 rebounds.
Azzi Fudd’s status for Saturday remains uncertain. She sprained her knee earlier in the month, after making it back from an ACL tear suffered last year. Even without her, this is a wholly formidable Huskies team. All 10 of its wins were by double digits, and its only stumble was to No. 3 Notre Dame.
USC is also 10-1, and its one loss was also to Notre Dame (note for ourselves: buy all the Hannah Hidalgo stock). The Trojans’ average margin of victory across their six-game win streak sits at an absurd 38.2 points. Lindsay Gottlieb’s group has the third-best defensive rating in the country. And Watkins is — well, she’s JuJu Watkins. Last month, the ascendant Angeleno became the fastest Trojan to 1,000 career points since Cheryl Miller. As a sophomore, she’s increased both her offensive and defensive per-40 win shares by a full 50 percent, per Her Hoop Stats.
Flanking her is an elite defender in Rayah Marshall, and a top-tier inside scorer in Kiki Iriafen. Iriafen is averaging almost 19 points per game despite the lowest usage rate of her four NCAA seasons and is averaging 9.2 rebounds per game.
These two teams are fourth and fifth, respectively, in ’s latest batch of power rankings.
Sabreena Merchant on Rayah Marshall: While Kiki Iriafen adjusts to her offensive role at USC, her frontcourt partner Rayah Marshall has been expanding her skills. Marshall always has been a dominant defensive presence, and that hasn’t changed as a senior. Her block percentage is in the 99th percentile nationally, and she deters even more shots. Opponents are shooting a preposterous 23.9 percent with Marshall as the primary defender, as she can defend the post and cover ground on the perimeter. USC’s defense is 16.7 points per 100 possessions better with Marshall on the court.
Memorable matchup: Dec. 9, 2003 — Top-ranked UConn maintained its 72-game win streak (!) despite a 72-69 scare from the Trojans. Ebony Hoffman had 15 points for USC. Diana Taurasi hit two clutch 3-pointers to seal a close one.
USC at UConn odds
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This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
USC Trojans, Connecticut Huskies, Women’s College Basketball, Sports Betting
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