Paige Bueckers gives advice to JuJu Watkins after her dominant freshman season

UConn knocked off 1-seed USC to advance to the Final Four on Monday night, securing a spot there at the expense of USC superstar JuJu Watkins.

Watkins was excellent in the contest against Paige Bueckers and company, scoring a game-high 29 points, while also posting a double-double with 10 rebounds. She even added a pair of blocks, a pair of assists and a steal in the contest.

The sheer talent was evident to everyone on the floor, including Bueckers.

The UConn veteran had some advice for the USC freshman, who emerged as one of the most capable players in the country this season, even if the run in the Big Dance came up a little short.

“Yeah, I think success is a process,” Bueckers said. “It’s tough, especially as a freshman to be leading your team like that, have no experience in this sort of environment, on this stage, and lead your team. You feel a lot of pressure.

“But for her to have the year she had as a freshman, fearless, confident, one of the best players in the country, she’s got a lot to build on.”

A 6-foot-2 freshman, JuJu Watkins averaged an eye-popping 27.1 points per game, while also contributing 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.6 blocks per game.

She was everywhere all the time.

If there’s a bright side for USC going forward, it’s that JuJu Watkins now has a taste of the postseason. That can be absolutely vital for a team looking to sink its teeth even deeper into March and April.

“I know getting here, feeling this loss, we’ve been a part of it, it’s very motivating,” Bueckers explained. “It lets you build experience on how to be better, how to learn from it.

“So just take the good, continue to build on that, and focus on what you need to work on and do that, too.”

As for Bueckers and company, they’ll get the chance to keep dancing into the national title game. But it’ll take a big win to make it happen. Up next in the Final Four is 1-seed Iowa, led by superstar Caitlin Clark.

The two programs will meet at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN on Friday night.