JuJu Watkins Admits Why USC's Big Win Over UConn 'Hit a Little Different'
The No. 7 ranked USC Trojans women's basketball team secured the biggest win of their 2024-25 regular season on Saturday, as they defeated the No. 3 ranked UConn Huskies in Connecticut by a score of 72-70.
Per usual, the Trojans were led by superstar sophomore JuJu Watkins, who finished the game with 25 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks (including one on Huskies star Paige Bueckers), while also looking like the best player on the court throughout the thrilling game.
In addition to this being a game between two favorites to win the 2025 NCAA National Championship, it was especially significant for Watkins and the Trojans because UConn knocked them out in the Elite Eight round of last year's NCAA Tournament.
And Watkins alluded to that revenge factor making Saturday's win mean a bit more during her postgame press conference.
"Yeah. I mean, it feels great to get the [win] always," Watkins said about the game, per The UConn Daily YouTube account. "I think it hit a little different, knowing the history of last year and how they sent us home.
"So it was great to see everybody that came out, and I don't think I've ever played in front of so many people. Just to see all my family here, all the USC fans, it meant the world," Watkins added.
It will be interesting to see how the AP Rankings look on Monday, and whether the now 11-1 Trojans have done enough to position themselves within the top 5 teams in the country as a result of their win over UConn.
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.