HARTFORD, Conn. — As USC’s bench emptied onto the XL Heart ground, with the No. 7 Trojans having defeated the No. 4 UConn Huskies 72-70, JuJu Watkins’ palms shot to the sky. Basking in her 25-point efficiency that lifted USC previous UConn for the primary time in class historical past, Watkins turned to the small part of supporters decked out in crimson and yellow contained in the sold-out enviornment and acknowledged their assist.
“It hit a little bit completely different realizing the historical past from final yr and the way they despatched us residence,” Watkins stated.
The stakes have been completely different this time. In April, within the Elite Eight, the Huskies knocked the top-seeded Trojans out of the NCAA Event. However Saturday evening’s 2-point victory was significant however. Not just for Watkins and USC senior switch Kiki Iriafen, however for his or her coach, Lindsay Gottlieb, who has lengthy admired this system UConn coach Geno Auriemma has constructed.
“This can be a actually important win, and it’s a very important win due to the stature of UConn’s program and what Geno Auriemma has achieved for our sport,” Gottlieb stated. “For my whole highschool (profession) on, that is what basketball excellence was. That is what we noticed, and it’s challenged all of us to wish to be higher, to search out gamers who wish to be higher and be that elite. And I don’t assume that’s gone away.”
Gottlieb is in her fourth season with the Trojans, and she or he aspires to construct a sustained program just like the Huskies. A season in the past, USC gained its second Pac-12 event title in program historical past and made consecutive NCAA Event appearances for the primary time in almost twenty years. Over her temporary tenure, she has reminded onlookers not solely of USC’s historical past of success — two nationwide titles and three Ultimate 4 appearances within the Eighties, Corridor of Fame gamers akin to Lisa Leslie, Cynthia Cooper, Cheryl Miller and Tina Thompson — however of what it may be within the current. Watkins, final yr’s nationwide freshman of the yr and a first-team All-American, is on the middle of the most recent chapter. Victories like Saturday’s assist make lofty aspirations really feel extra attainable.
USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb needs to emulate what Geno Auriemma has inbuilt Connecticut. (David Butler II / Imagn Photos)
Gottlieb grew up simply exterior New York Metropolis, however she wasn’t recruited by Auriemma in highschool. However, when she was 15 or 16, she accompanied considered one of her buddies to considered one of his camps. UConn was at all times the native draw, and following Saturday’s win, she recalled a visit she made throughout her senior yr at Brown College, in close by Windfall, Rhode Island, when she and her father drove to Storrs to see UConn tackle Tennessee.
“It was bought out,” Gottlieb stated, “and I used to be in that constructing and noticed this environment.”
Saturday was raucous, too. And Watkins, USC’s star guard, stated it may need been the biggest crowd she has performed in entrance of. Practically 16,000 folks packed inside XL Heart, nearly all of whom wore navy and white.
Nonetheless, Watkins added, “simply to see my household right here, all of the SC followers, it meant the world.”
If anybody wanted reminding, the Trojans’ victory strengthened their standing as considered one of this season’s nationwide title contenders. At 11-1, their lone defeat got here at residence to Notre Dame by 13 factors. It will have been simple, Gottlieb stated, for these inside this system accountable one another after that November loss — for the Trojans to fracture.
“So long as we stick collectively, this may make us higher,” she stated she informed them afterward. “And (the loss) has in each method.”
Coming into Saturday’s victory, the Trojans sported the nation’s third-best protection and No. 15 offense. They convert in transition (almost 20 % of their factors are available in transition) and off turnovers (averaging 28.7 factors per recreation), vital measurables that would serve them effectively sooner or later. Their victory over the Huskies strengthened that they might come on the street, in one of many most-anticipated video games of the season, and punch first. It proved they might give up a 13-point halftime lead, path by some extent with slightly below 5 minutes to play and nonetheless recuperate.
“Nobody received off the treadmill,” Gottlieb stated.
After all, having a transcendent star like Watkins helps calm any nerves. Not solely did she lead the sport in scoring, she added six rebounds, 5 assists and three blocks, together with one simply earlier than halftime on UConn star Paige Bueckers. Bueckers was prolific within the second half and completed with 22 factors, however she additionally guarded Watkins because the USC star received off to a quick begin within the first quarter.
“Each scouting report that you simply put collectively or each movie that you simply watch, it’s very evident that one participant can’t guard (Watkins),” Auriemma stated. “When she will get into a little bit little bit of a rhythm, it’s a must to hope she misses.”
With the rating inside one possession with solely 4:30 to play, Watkins recorded 6 of USC’s 8 factors and assisted ahead Rayah Marshall on the lone basket she didn’t rating.
“Lots of the issues she does is tremendous exhausting, however she makes it look really easy,” Iriafen stated. “Everyone knows she is a celebrity, so taking part in together with her positively relieves strain on everyone else.”
Any remnants of strain dissipated even additional within the postgame locker room. Gamers doused Gottlieb with water as she entered. They leaped collectively in celebration.
“For me now to convey a group right here, to know we may do it, after which to truly do it’s extremely significant,” Gottlieb stated. “Actually happy with the massive win.”
(High picture of JuJu Watkins driving between Paige Bueckers, left, and Kaitlyn Chen: Joe Buglewicz / Getty Photos)
