Paige Bueckers is headed back to the Final Four after scoring 28 points and lifting UConn to a 80-73 win over Southern California (USC) in the women’s NCAA Tournament.
Bueckers outdueled fabulous USC freshman All-American JuJu Watkins, in sending third-seeded UConn (33-5) to its 23rd national semifinal, the most of any school. Leading 65-64, the Huskies scored 11 straight points, including seven from Bueckers and a three-point play from Aaliyah Edwards to finally put away the top-seeded Trojans (29-6).
UConn will face Caitlin Clark and Iowa on Friday in Cleveland.
Edwards finished with 24 points.
JuJu Watkins scored 29 points for USC.
Caitlin Clark had 41 points and 12 assists as Iowa knocked defending national champion LSU out of the women’s NCAA tournament with a 94-87 victory on Monday night, advancing the Hawkeyes to their second straight Final Four.
Top-seeded Iowa (33-4) will play UConn in the national semifinals Friday night in Cleveland.
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Clark and Angel Reese of LSU put on a memorable show for the sold-out crowd and the millions watching.
With the game tied at 45 after an entertaining first half, Clark took over in the third quarter. The NCAA Division I all-time scoring leader hit four 3-pointers. Her fourth of the quarter, from her signature logo range, made it 61-52. It also was the 538th of her career which made her the all-time leader in that category among NCAA Division I players, passing Oklahoma’s Taylor Robertson.
Flau’jae Johnson scored 23 points for LSU (31-6), which fell short of becoming the first repeat champion since UConn in 2016. Reese finished with 17 points and 20 rebounds.
