With perhaps the best player in the country in JuJu Watkins, USC proves it is a force to be reckoned with

HARTFORD, Conn. — JuJu Watkins stared down Shrek, Dwight Schrute, Guy Fieri and a flying Spongebob Squarepants. The white pom-poms raged sideways. The band’s instruments glistened while a handful of Santa hats bobbed.

In the corner a few sections over watched a Grinch as Watkins played her own scene-stealing role.

Her free throws facing the raucous Connecticut student section delivered No. 7 Southern California enough breathing room to seal a 72-70 win against the sport’s standard-bearer. It’s a program so used to victory no Husky tilts a head at an incoming generational talent’s aspiration of sweeping national titles.

Time is running out in Paige Bueckers’ collegiate career to win even one as contenders have ascended to and in certain cases bypassed Connecticut’s level.

South Carolina. LSU. Iowa. Notre Dame.

And, now, USC. The Trojans in the Watkins era are authoritatively back in that fray, a smashing return to the national stage and title conversation following four decades of irrelevance. Their Elite Eight loss to UConn served as notice. An official announcement is the top-10 statement victory in the house of the 11-time champions and a program head coach Lindsay Gottlieb grew up viewing as "basketball excellence.”

“It doesn't matter to me that they haven't won a championship in a couple years,” Gottlieb said. “There's still a way that they prepare, a way that they play, that makes you better, and it made us better. And so that, for me, is really significant.”

Players let the weight of their winning moment show ahead of their holiday break. They celebrated with the small group of friends and family that traveled. Gottlieb received a celebratory water dump as cold as the weather outside.

“I think there's just like a chip on our shoulder losing to UConn in the Elite Eight last year,” Kiki Iriafen said. “We didn't want that to happen again.”

“It hit a little different knowing the history of last year and how they sent us home,” said Watkins, who led all scorers with 25 points.

The Trojans punched No. 4 UConn in the same vein the Huskies had become accustomed during their powerhouse run. They walk into opposing arenas behind Watkins, the best player in the nation, and other teams don’t. She played one of her most efficient games, shooting 9-of-16 with six rebounds, five assists and one steal. Her three turnovers were a bright spot after larger totals against ranked opponents Ole Miss and Notre Dame.

The sophomore guard smoothly hit from everywhere, draining her first 3 by side-stepping primary defender Bueckers in the game’s first minutes. By half, the 36% 3-point shooter was 3-of-4 with easy looks. Shortly before halftime, she juked her defender to the floor for a wide-open shot.

“It’s very evident that one player can’t guard her,” UConn head coach Geno Auriemma said. “When she gets into a little bit of a rhythm, like she got in that first half, it’s really really difficult to [guard her].”

She set USC off to its largest lead out of the break by blocking Bueckers’ 3-point attempt, beating her down the court and finishing over a pack of Huskies. Kennedy Smith scored off a turnover and Watkins blocked Ashlynn Shade for good measure on the other end. She had three of the team’s seven blocks.

As Bueckers lifted UConn back into a close contest, Watkins answered. She tied up the former national player of the year driving into the paint late in the third with UConn trailing by six, 53-47. After the Huskies took their first lead, 65-64, at 4:34, Watkins drew contact for the and-one to put USC back ahead. And when Bueckers tied it at 67 two minutes later, Watkins drew all the attention at the nail to find a cutting Rayah Marshall for the game-winning basket.

UConn has often had the best player in the nation, from Diana Taurasi to Maya Moore and Breanna Stewart. They still arguably do in Bueckers, but the offensive help around her isn’t that of prior groups. It’s what has USC back in its limelight. UConn couldn’t take enough away — certainly not on USC’s 49.2% shooting night, including 9-of-16 from 3 — and Watkins was omnipresent.

“The dilemma comes when they start making shots, and the guy you're trying to limit is still getting shots off,” Auriemma said. “So credit to them, because they took advantage of it.”

Gottlieb dipped into the transfer portal for established talent, a new-era path toward leveling the playing field quickly. Iriafen, a graduate forward from Stanford, had 16 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. Smith, who played her first minutes since a November surgery, went 3-of-6 from 3-point range.

“We just felt like it had to be a five-player operation whoever was on the court,” Gottlieb said.

USC came into Connecticut still ascending, sliding by Ole Miss to start the season and falling in a poor showing to Notre Dame at home. Gottlieb credited the group for sticking together out of it. Iriafen said they were cognizant they had to stay the course and trust the work.

“To play elite competition, our practices have to be elite,” Gottlieb said. “And I thought we had some of the best practices leading up. That makes you better. The way that they [Huskies] challenge you. … There wasn’t a moment we didn’t practice as if we were about to play elite competition.”

Any team readying to face USC will do the same now.