
Paige Bueckers led UConn to its record-breaking 24th appearance in the women's NCAA Tournament Final Four by scoring 31 points in a 78-64 win over Southern California on Monday night.
USC faced difficulties in the game, especially after their star player JuJu Watkins was injured and unable to continue playing.
Freshman player Sarah Strong made a significant impact by scoring 22 points and grabbing 17 rebounds for the second-seeded Huskies.
Meanwhile, Rayah Marshall delivered an impressive performance, scoring 23 points and grabbing 15 rebounds for top-seeded USC which finished the season with a record of 31 wins and 4 losses.
Related: Novak Djokovic refuses to discuss eye problem after shock Miami defeat
Fans were eagerly looking forward to a rematch between Paige and Watkins when the tournament brackets were released.
However the excitement faded after Watkins tore her ACL in the second round, requiring surgery and preventing her from playing.
The UConn women's basketball team holds the record for the most NCAA titles, having won 11 championships, all under head coach Geno Auriemma.
Their last championship victory was in 2016, which was the final title in a streak of four consecutive wins.
UConn, with a season record of 35 wins and 3 losses, will travel to Tampa, Florida, to play against UCLA, the top overall seed, on Friday.
Related: Ilia Malinindefends skates to victory to defend world title