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UConn vs. USC Prediction, Odds and Key Players for NCAA Tournament Elite 8 (Hammer the Huskies)

College basketball betting preview for UConn-USC. 

By Shelby Dermer

Mar 30, 2024; Portland, OR, USA; UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (5) shoots a jump shot during the NCAA Tournament game against Duke.
Mar 30, 2024; Portland, OR, USA; UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (5) shoots a jump shot during the NCAA Tournament game against Duke. / Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports
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After stamping its name as a women’s college basketball dynasty, UConn is on a mission to capture its first national championship since 2016. UConn, which reached the national title game two seasons ago, is a small favorite in the Elite 8 Monday night against USC as long as the three-point lines are equal distances in Portland. 

The No. 3 seed Huskies had little resistance in getting to the Elite 8, holding comfortable leads late in eight-point victories over Syracuse and Duke. USC is bidding for its first Final Four appearance since 1986. The Trojans advanced to the Elite 8 for the first time in 30 years by pulling out a 74-70 victory over No. 5 Baylor on Saturday. Can they hang with the Huskies as short underdogs? Here’s the betting preview for the Elite 8 contest with a best bet. 

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UConn vs. USC Odds, Spread and Total

UConn vs. USC How to Watch

  • Date: Monday, April 1 
  • Game time:  9 p.m. EST
  • Venue: Moda Center 
  • How to watch (TV): ESPN
  • UConn record: 32-5 
  • USC record: 29-5

UConn vs. USC Key Players to Watch

UConn

Paige Bueckers: The junior guard is on a mission after her season-ending knee injury in Aug. 2022 caused her to miss all of last season and UConn failed to reach the Final Four for the first time in 15 years. Bueckers, a unanimous first-team All-American and Big East Player of the Year, is averaging 28 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists in the NCAA Tournament. 

USC 

JuJu Watkins: Speaking of big-time scoring performances, Watkins is another first-team All-American pouring in points to lead her team through the bracket. In three tournament contests, Watkins is averaging 27 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists. In the Sweet 16 against Baylor, Watkins turned in 30 points but struggled shooting the rock, going 8-for-28 from the field with 12 points coming from the free-throw line. 

UConn vs. USC Prediction and Pick 

USC has not shot the ball particularly well in recent tournament action, going just 38.3% combined from the field in its wins over Baylor and Kansas. Against Baylor, the Trojans relied heavily on getting to the free-throw line, going 17-of-21 from the charity stripe to advance.

That could be a problem against a UConn defense that is No. 2 in the Big East in scoring (56.4 points per game) and No. 1 in opposing field goal percentage (35.5%). In three tournament wins, UConn has held opponents to 33.2% shooting and 29.1% from beyond the arc. More importantly, UConn’s doing it while keeping opponents from getting freebies. 

In the last two wins, UConn held Duke and Syracuse to a combined 14 free-throw attempts and commits just 14.2 fouls per game on average this season. The Huskies have the championship pedigree while USC could be stymied by UConn’s defense and the bright lights of the Elite 8 for the first time in three decades. Take UConn laying a small number. 

Game odds update periodically and are subject to change.

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