Monday is going to be an incredible day for women’s college basketball. Along with an LSU vs. Iowa rematch of last year’s national title game, we’re getting an Elite Eight duel between 11-time national champion UConn and the up-and-coming USC program.
The Trojans are playing in their first Elite Eight since 1994, but their Final Four drought is even longer as USC hasn’t competed in the final weekend since 1986, when they won their second national title. That was just a year after Geno Auriemma took over as UConn’s head coach.
UConn vs. USC score
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final | |
| UConn | 15 | 18 | 22 | 25 | 80 |
| USC | 17 | 16 | 18 | 22 | 73 |
UConn vs. USC results, highlights from 2024 NCAA Women’s Elite Eight
All times Eastern.
Final: UConn 80, USC 73
11:37 p.m. – This will come down to the wire. With 17.5 on the clock, UConn leads 76-71.
11:26 p.m. – Edwards gets her 22nd point to lead USC 73-64. Only two minutes remain..
11:21 p.m. – Bueckers with the quick release, and it’s a five-point lead for the Huskies.
11:13 p.m. – Tie game! Forbes drills a 3 to equal it at 59 with seven minutes left in the fourth.
End of third quarter: UConn 55, USC 51
11:02 p.m. – Taylor Bigby hits the 3! It’s an 8-0 run for USC.
10:54 p.m. – Juju doing Juju things for the and-one. The Trojans need momentum here to keep up with the Huskies.
10:47 p.m. – Forbes from the arc! USC trails by five midway through the third.
10:41 p.m. – Masked Aaliyah is no more.
What channel is UConn vs. USC on today?
- TV channel: ESPN
- Live stream: Sling
UConn vs. USC will be broadcast on ESPN. Those who prefer streaming can find the game on Sling.
UConn vs. USC start time
- Date: Monday, April 1
- Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
UConn-USC will be the final Elite Eight game of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. It begins Monday, April 1 at 9:00 p.m. ET live from the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.
USC vs. UConn: Key storyline
JuJu Watkins vs. Paige Bueckers
While winning will take significant effort from multiple players, there is no escaping the fact that we are getting a matchup between two of the best players in college basketball.
USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb is only in her third season with the Trojans, but she is already building something special in Los Angeles. The Trojans picked up momentum last season, but the addition of freshman JuJu Watkins has leveled up the program. She is the second-leading scorer in the nation with 27 points per game, while also giving her team 7.2 rebounds per contest and total of 77 steals.
Earlier this month, Watkins was announced as one of four Naismith Trophy finalists, along with Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, Stanford’s Cameron Brink, and UConn’s Paige Bueckers.
Bueckers won 11 major awards in 2021, Naismith Trophy included, after a head-turning freshman season. Injuries have since taken a toll, as she missed all of last season with torn ACL while the Huskies struggled to make it past the Sweet 16. However, Bueckers looks elite again and is carrying a UConn team that’s dealing with several major injuries across the roster.
Auriemma’s squad has been relying on mostly a seven-player rotation this season because of injuries and inexperience. But that goes to show how powerful Bueckers can be. The redshirt junior is averaging 21.9 points and 5.1 boards per contest while also grabbing 83 steals. UConn will go as far as its superstar goes, and Bueckers has a big test ahead in Watkins and USC.