Paige Bueckers scored 31 factors and No. 2 seed UConn held off short-handed No. 1 seed Southern California 78-64 on Monday to win the Spokane (Wash.) Area 4 and advance to its twenty fourth Closing 4.
The Huskies (35-3) took the lead on a 9-0 run within the first quarter and by no means appeared again, remaining in entrance of USC the remainder of the best way.
The Trojans (31-4), taking part in with out injured nationwide Participant of the 12 months candidate JuJu Watkins, threatened at completely different instances all through the competition. Rayah Marshall stepped up in Watkins’ absence to attain 23 factors and seize 15 rebounds.
Freshman Sarah Sturdy hit 4 of 6 from 3-point vary en path to 22 factors and grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds for UConn, which advances to face UCLA within the Closing 4 on Friday in Tampa.
The Huskies’ Kaitlyn Chen added 15 factors, six within the fourth quarter. Azzi Fudd emerged after a sluggish begin to play an enormous function down the stretch, scoring all eight of her factors within the last interval.
USC’s Talia von Oelhoffen scored all 10 of her factors within the second half, and Kiki Iriafen additionally had 10 factors on 3-of-15 taking pictures. The Trojans couldn’t overcome 32.8 % taking pictures from the ground — or UConn’s well timed responses to Trojans runs.
Fudd missed her first 9 field-goal makes an attempt, however she broke by at an opportune time.
USC went on a 21-7 run within the third quarter to chop a 19-point deficit down to 5 getting into the ultimate interval. Nevertheless, Fudd opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer, and he or she made one other trey to cap an 11-2 run that put the Huskies up 62-48 with 6:54 to go.
UConn pushed the lead again to fifteen factors within the fourth quarter on the best way to the win.
Bueckers handed Napheesa Collier to turn out to be the third-leading scorer in UConn historical past. Monday was the third straight sport wherein Bueckers logged 31-plus factors. She additionally dished six assists in opposition to the Trojans.
USC’s Avery Howell, who scored 9 factors, shot 2-for-5 from 3-point distance. The remainder of the Trojans went a mixed 1-for-8 from past the arc.
–Area Degree Media
