UConn is playing their best basketball at the right time. They coasted through the Big East Conference Tournament and have not won by less than 23 points in the NCAA Tournament so far. The Huskies have won 13 straight games, as well as 24 of their last 25 contests.
Senior guard Paige Bueckers has been other-worldly during that stretch and broke a program record for points in a single March Madness game last round against No. 3 seed Oklahoma. She poured in 40 points, including 29 in the second half, which was more than the entire Sooners' team combined.
However, the Huskies have a difficult opponent standing in the way if they want to make it back to the Final Four for the fourth time in the last five seasons.
UConn will face USC in the Elite 8 of March Madness
The Huskies are facing off against the USC Trojans in the Spokane Region 4 Championship on Monday, March 31 at 9:00 p.m. EST on ESPN.
USC will be without star guard Juju Watkins, who tore her ACL in the second round against Mississippi State last week. However, the Trojans still have a plethora of great players, including Kiki Iriafen and Rayah Marshall, as well as a trio of freshman in Kayleigh Heckel, Avery Howell and Kennedy Smith who have grown up in a hurry this season.
While the Trojans likely do not have enough to compete with the combination of Bueckers, Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd, the game should be close despite the massive spread projected by FanDuel Sportsbook.
Head coach Lindsay Gottlieb is not near the level that Geno Auriemma is, but she is an experienced coach who has risen to stardom quickly at USC. The Trojans will not go without a fight, and it should take all 40 minutes for UConn to pull this one out.