USC Trojans Defeated By UConn Huskies: UConn Advances To Final Four vs. UCLA Bruins

The USC Trojans are officially eliminated from the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. The Trojans lost the game, 78-64, against the UConn Huskies. It was a close matchup, but the Women of Troy could not take back the lead in the second half.

Mar 29, 2025; Spokane, WA, USA; USC Trojans forward Kiki Iriafen (44) shoots against Kansas State Wildcats guard Serena Sundell (4) during the first half of a Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament basketball game at Spokane Arena. at Spokane Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images

The No. 1 USC Trojans are officially eliminated from the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament after losing the game, 78-64, against the No. 2 UConn Huskies. It was a close matchup, but the Women of Troy could not take back the lead in the second half.

USC kept the score close with strong defensive play, but UConn’s Paige Bueckers and Sarah Strong were a dynamic duo. USC center Rayah Marshall led the Trojans in scoring with 23 points and with 15 rebounds. Senior forward Kiki iriafen finished the game with ten points and six rebounds.

The UConn Huskies will face the UCLA Bruins in the Final Four on April 4.

Mar 29, 2025; Spokane, WA, USA; USC Trojans forward Kiki Iriafen (44) shoots against Kansas State Wildcats guard Serena Sundell (4) during the first half of a Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament basketball game at Spokane Arena. at Spokane Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images

Fourth Quarter:

End of the game: USC's Avery Howell makes a three-point shot. UConn's Paige Bueckers is fouled, making both shots. Bueckers reached 30 points, her third straight game doing so. UConn's Sarah Strong is fouled and makes both free throws. The UConn Huskies win the game 78-64.

0:46.4: USC’s Avery Howell makes a three-point shot. With limited time, the Trojans are using their fouls, sending Kaitlyn Chen to the line. Rayah Marshall fouls Paige Bueckers, who goes two-for-two on the free throw line. The UConn Huskies lead the game, 74-61.

1:13: USC’s Kiki Iriafen is fouled by Paige Bueckers, who picks up her fourth personal foul. Iriafen goes two for two with free throws. UConn’s Kaitlyn Chen makes a two-point shot. The UConn Huskies lead the game 70-58.

2:00: USC’s Rayah Marshall goes two-for-two on free throws. Marshall is fouled again, going two for two on free throws. Marshall makes a two-point shot, reaching 23 total points. UConn’s Kaitlyn Chen makes a two-point shot and is fouled on the play. The UConn Huskies lead the game 68-56.

3:27: Azzi Fudd makes a layup to extend UConn’s lead. USC’s Rayah Marshall is fouled and sent to the free-throw line. The UConn Huskies lead the game 66-51.

5:00: Azzi Fudd hits a three-point shot. USC’s Avery Howell is fouled, going three for three on free throws. Paige Bueckers makes a two-point shot for UConn. The UConn Huskies lead the game 64-51.

7:02: UConn’s Paige Bueckers makes a two-point shot. Bueckers hits a three-point shot. Bueckers and Kennedy Smith are down after both going for the ball at the same time. Both players get back up. The UConn Huskies lead the game 59-48.

8:20: UConn’s Azzi Fudd makes a three-point shot to snap a scoring drought for the Huskies. USC’s Rayah Marshall is fouled and goes two-for-two on free throws. The UConn Huskies lead the game 54-48.

Third Quarter:

End of the third quarter: USC’s Kiki Iriafen is fouled and goes two for two on free throws to narrow the score difference. Rayah Marshall is fouled, going two for two on free throws. USC's Talia von Oelhoffen scores a two-point shot. The USC Trojans go on an 11-0 run to end the third quarter. The UConn Huskies lead the game 51-46.

1:59: USC’s Kayleigh Heckel is fouled and goes one for two on free throws. Kiki Iriafen is called for a foul on Sarah Strong. Rayah Marshall makes a two-point jumper for USC. The UConn Huskies lead the game 51-40.

3:42: Sarah Strong makes a two-point shot for UConn, reaching 20 points in the game. USC’s Kennedy Smith makes a two-point shot. The UConn Huskies lead the game 51-37.

4:49: Talia von Oelhoffen makes the first three-point shot of the night for USC. Paige Bueckers makes a three-point shot for USC. Von Oelhoffen makes a two-point shot for USC while being fouled and makes the free throw. Bueckers makes a two-point jumper, reaching 20 points in the game. USC’s Kayleigh Heckel makes a two-point shot for USC. The UConn Huskies lead the game 49-35.

7:00: Sarah Strong is the first on the board with a three-point shot for UConn. USC’s Talia von Oelhoffen has a much-needed block for the Trojans. Paige Bueckers is fouled by USC’s Kennedy Smith. Smith is up to three fouls. Bueckers goes two-for-two on free throws. Von Oelhoffen is the first to score for USC in the half with two free throws. The UConn Huskies lead the game 44-27.

Second Quarter:

End of the second quarter: UConn’s Paige Bueckers makes a three-point shot. USC’s Kennedy Smith makes her first field goal for the night. Bueckers ends the half with another three-point shot. The UConn Huskies lead the game 39-25.

1:00: USC’s Rayah Marshall reaches 12 points in the first half. Paige Bueckers is fouled, making it the 14th foul by USC. UConn’s Kaitlyn Chen scores two points to extend the Huskies' lead. Chen scores another two points while being fouled. The UConn Huskies lead the game 33-23.

3:14: UConn’s Paige Bueckers is fouled, making the first foul shot but missing the second. Bueckers is fouled again, missing the first shot and making the second. USC's Kennedy Smith is fouled and makes both free throws. The UConn Huskies lead the game 28-21.

4:54: USC center Rayah Marshall goes two for two on free throws. UConn’s Paige Bueckers makes a two-point shot while being fouled. Bueckers makes the free throw. UConn’s Kaitlyn Chen scores off a layup, adding to the Huskies’ lead. The UConn Huskies lead the game 26-19.

6:46: USC center Rayah Marshall is the first to score in the second quarter with two points. Marshall also snapped a scoring drought for USC. UConn Sarah Strong increases UConn’s lead with a two-point shot. UConn’s KK Arnold scores with a layup. The UConn Huskies lead the game. Marshall scored two points for USC. The UConn Huskies lead the game 21-15.

First Quarter:

End of the first quarter: An offensive foul is called against UConn’s Ashlynn Shade. The UConn Huskies lead the game 14-11.

0:25.3: UConn forward Sarah Strong adds two points for the Huskies. Kiki Iriafen makes a good steal for USC, but Paige Bueckers steals it right back for UConn. Strong scores two points to take back the lead. Bueckers makes her first points for the night. UConn is on a 9-0 run. The UConn Huskies lead the game 14-11.

3:39: USC’s Rayah Marshall takes the lead back with two points. Iriafen adds another two points for USC. Iriafen makes back-to-back shots. The Trojans are on a 10-0 run. UCon's Sarah Strong snaps the scoring drought with a three-point shot. The USC Trojans lead the game 11-8.

6:30: Paige Bueckers gives up an early personal foul. USC’s Kennedy Smith is the first on the board, making one of two free throws. UConn Sarah Strong scores a three-pointer for the Huskies. UConn’s Kaitlyn Chen scores two points off a jumper. USC forward Kiki Iriafen adds two points for USC. The game is tied 5-5.

Pre Game:

Betting Odds:

The USC Trojans are 15.5-point underdogs against the UConn Huskies on FanDuel Sportsbook. The moneyline for USC is +790, and the total points are 137.5.

The USC Trojans pulled off a tight win against the Kansas State Wildcats, 67-61. USC trailed at halftime, but pulled through for the win. The Women of Troy played their first full game with Watkins, and the players who stepped up the most were the freshmen.

Against the Wildcats, guard Kennedy Smith led the Trojans with 19 points, followed by guard Avery Howell, who scored 18 points. Howell finished the game with eight rebounds and four steals. USC center Rayah Marshall led the team with nine rebounds and three assists. 

USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb gave immense credit to the team’s freshmen after the game.

“What can I say about our freshman class? I just, they’re winners above everything else,” Gottlieb said. “They’re just tough, they’re incredibly tough and they are winners and that’s what I told them before the game and they earned every bit of it and I’m just proud to be playing in the Elite 8.”

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USC forward Kiki Iriafen struggled with shooting, but she was always where she had to be on defense. Iriafen finished the game with seven points, going 3-13 on field goals and 0-1 on three-point attempts. She also had eight assists, the second most on the team against the Wildcats. 

Iriafen will have to have a better game shooting if the Women of Troy are to compete with the UConn Huskies.

Gottlieb acknowledged how the team came together when speaking to the media after the game.

“I’m really proud of our team’s fight and togetherness, and finding a way to win. It was not supposed to be easy, and it wasn’t easy,” Gottlieb said.

Mar 24, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans center Rayah Marshall (13) claps her hands after scoring against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during an NCAA Tournament second round game at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

UConn is looking like one of the most dominant teams in the tournament despite being the No. 2 seed.

 UConn is coming off a dominant 82-59 win against the No. 3 Oklahoma Sooners in the Sweet 16. The Huskies are led by Bueckers, who scored 40 points for UConn against Oklahoma. It is the most a player has scored in the NCAA Tournament in program history. Forward Sarah Strong led the team with 11 rebounds and five assists. 

Bueckers is averaging 19.8 points per game and 4.7 assists. Strong leads the team, averaging 8.5 rebounds, 2.4 steals, and 1.7 blocks. Stopping Bueckers and Strong will be crucial for the Trojans.

USC and UConn last faced off on Dec. 21. The Trojans won the game 72-70, but Watkins scored 25 points. Without Watkins and with UConn’s momentum, it will be a tough task for the Trojans in Monday’s Elite 8 matchup. 

The winner of the Elite 8 matchup will face the UCLA Bruins on April 4 in the Final Four.

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