Paige Bueckers Shared Sweet Moment With Emotional JuJu Watkins After UConn’s Win Over USC

Kristen Wong | Apr 2, 2024

Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

Two of women’s college basketball’s biggest stars hugged it out after a nail-biting Elite Eight matchup on Monday night.

UConn standout Paige Bueckers found USC’s JuJu Watkins following the final whistle and consoled the freshman starlet, who was visibly distraught by her team’s 80—73 loss in the Portland Region 3 final in the NCAA tournament.

Bueckers relayed what one can assume were words of encouragement to Watkins and went in for a quick embrace before going to celebrate with the rest of her team.

Paige Bueckers consoled JuJu Watkins after their Elite Eight matchup ❤️ pic.twitter.com/rykj3WeA9a

— ESPN (@espn) April 2, 2024

The UConn junior guard went 11-of-23 for 28 points to carry the No.3-seeded Huskies to the Final Four, marking the school’s record-breaking 23rd appearance in the national semifinals. After sitting out last season due to an ACL injury, Bueckers will return to the Final Four for the third time in her career.

Bueckers played spoiler to JuJu Watkins and the top-seeded Trojans, who saw their stellar NCAA tournament run come to a disappointing end on Monday night. Watkins finished her All-American freshman campaign with 29 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.

UConn will face No. 1 Iowa on Friday in Cleveland.