JuJu Watkins scored 25 factors and No 7 USC recovered from blowing a 18-point lead within the second half to beat Paige Bueckers and fourth-ranked UConn 72-70 on Saturday night time.
The sport was a rematch of final season’s Elite Eight contest that the Huskies received and featured two of the very best gamers in ladies’s faculty basketball with All-People Bueckers and Watkins. The pair guarded one another for many of the recreation.
Bueckers completed with 22 factors.
With the sport tied at 67, Watkins handed the ball to Rayah Marshall for a layup with 1:21 left to provide USC the lead.
After a miss by the Huskies, Watkins was fouled with 31 seconds left. She missed the primary of two free throws because the ball sat on the rim for just a few seconds earlier than falling off. She made the second to provide the Trojans (11-1) a 70-67 benefit.
UConn (10-2), who trailed 51-33 within the third quarter earlier than rallying, answered with a basket by Sarah Robust to get inside one 4 seconds later.
Watkins then hit two free throws with 19.5 seconds left to make it 72-69.
The Huskies had one final probability to tie when Robust was fouled capturing a three-pointer with 5 seconds left. She made the primary free throw, however missed the second. The freshman missed the third deliberately and UConn received the rebound. It will definitely went out to Robust, whose desperation heave on the buzzer was off.
This was the Trojans’ first check since dropping to Notre Dame on 23 November. Now they face three ranked Large Ten groups of their subsequent 4 video games.
This was the second top-10 group the Huskies have confronted this season and they’re now 0-2 after additionally falling to Notre Dame.
Earlier within the third quarter, Watkins blocked Bueckers’ shot then took the ball to the opposite finish and scored after a going by means of her legs with UConn’s star guarding her.
A recreation after hitting a school-record 20 three-pointers, UConn had been simply 6 for 23 from behind the three-point arc.
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