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No. 7 USC emerged victorious against No. 4 UConn on Saturday, securing a 72-70 win in a matchup between two strong NCAA basketball championship contenders who are still working on finding a consistent rhythm in their gameplay.
USC held a lead of up to 18 points in the first half. However, UConn made a strong comeback, briefly taking the lead in the fourth quarter before USC ultimately came out on top with a narrow victory over the Huskies.
JuJu secures USC win
Despite UConn’s standout player Paige Bueckers closely guarding her, USC’s JuJu Watkins delivered an impressive performance with a game-high 25 points, along with six rebounds, five assists, and three blocks.
Bueckers and UConn freshman Sarah Strong shared the scoring responsibilities for UConn, both contributing 22 points with Strong also grabbing 11 rebounds.
Having started the season ranked No. 2, the highly regarded UConn team has now suffered important losses to Notre Dame and USC, putting them at 0-2 in matchups against Top 10 opponents. Head coach Geno Auriemma will aim to address this trend before the Huskies face their next ranked rival in early February.
“I thought the execution in the first half was as bad as I’ve seen in a few years here in Connecticut,” expressed Huskies coach Geno Auriemma after the defeat.
“This win is extremely significant because of the standing of UConn’s program and the impact of Geno Auriemma on our sport,” commented USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb.
Upsets shake top NCAA basketball teams
This weekend, the conversation in NCAA basketball was dominated by upsets as several Top 25 teams fell short, further reducing the list of undefeated teams this season.
No. 15 Michigan State suffered their first defeat on Friday, losing to unranked Alabama 82-67 in a low-scoring contest. Subsequently, No. 9 Duke faced their own loss to an unranked opponent on Saturday, succumbing to USF in a defensive battle with a score of 65-56.
Seventeenth-ranked Georgia Tech maintained their undefeated status with a victory over No. 23 Nebraska, while No. 14 West Virginia fell to unranked Colorado later on the same day.
This season is characterized by parity, with changes in conference alignments, the impact of the transfer portal, and other recent shifts influencing several NCAA programs. As teams approach conference play, they will rely on regional rivalries and tough schedules to prepare for heightened competition in the upcoming year.
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