How to watch UConn / USC women's basketball; Pregame Info
The No. 1 UConn women’s basketball team (9-0) will travel to clash with the No. 16 Southern California Trojans (7-2) on Saturday.
WHO: UConn Huskies vs. Southern California Trojans
WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 12, 5:30 p.m.
WHERE: Galen Center OR Fox 5
History:
The Huskies are favored to win on the West Coast as they own a 4-1 record against the Trojans. The last time these two programs faced off was in the Elite Eight of the 2024-2025 NCAA National Championship.
Connecticut defeated Southern California 78-64, but their star player, JuJu Watkins, did not perform as she tore her ACL while taking on the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the Round of 32 last year. Watkins underwent successful surgery on March 24 and is expected to miss the entire 2025-2026 campaign.
Early in the 2024-2025 regular season, the two squads battled it out at the People’s Bank Arena with the Trojans winning 72-20. In both meetings, Sarah Strong dominated the court, scoring 22 points apiece, while Watkins dropped 25 points.
With that being said, not having the 20-year-old in the rotation is game-changing and UConn needs to capitalize on it.
Scouting the Trojans:
Heading into tonight’s matchup, Southern California is coming off a 59-50 top-20 victory over the No. 20 Washington Huskies. Jazzy Davidson earned a double-double, ending with 22 points, 12 rebounds and four assists. Within 38 minutes, the freshman thrived from the paint, burying eight of 14 (57.1%) field goals and knocking down two of seven (28.5%) deep shots.
Trialing behind Davidson, Kennedy Smith notched 13 points, five boards and four assists. The guard drained four of seven (57.1%) shots from within the arc but misfired on all three attempts from downtown. Overall, the Trojans struggled to convert a bucket from long range as they collectively made two of 17 (11.8%) shots.
Watching out for Kara Dunn is a must. While competing with Washington, the senior experienced an off-performance, contributing five points. Before their victory, the guard accumulated 15-plus points in back-to-back contests versus the Pepperdine Waves and the Saint Mary’s Gaels.
Scouting the Huskies:
In the 2025 offseason, Connecticut acquired Kayleigh Heckel from the transfer portal, who will now face her old team.
“I’m excited to go back,” said Heckel. “I had a great freshman year there and I learned a lot and it was a great experience, a lot of fun memories, so I’m looking forward to it.”
The sophomore comes off a 16-point game versus the DePaul Blue Demons, which tied her career high. If the New York native can stay hot, her return to Southern California will be memorable.
As for the rest of the Huskies, Azzi Fudd faced challenges against USC as she finished with eight points in the tournament. It should come as no surprise to see the new leader rewrite history, as she has secured 10-plus point contests in eight of UConn’s nine matches.
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