While the main event on Monday night in the Women’s NCAA Tournament is a spectacular Elite Eight matchup between LSU and Iowa, the undercard would be worthy of top billing on any other night.
Third-seeded Connecticut takes on top-seeded USC in Portland for a chance to advance to the Final Four.
Here’s a closer look at the matchup.
UConn vs. USC odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| UConn | -3.5 (-110) | -170 | o135,5 (-110) |
| USC | +3.5 (-110) | +143 | u135,5 (-110) |
UConn vs. USC prediction
(9:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)
USC’s JuJu Watkins might be the most highly touted woman to step foot on a college basketball court.
In just her freshman year, the California native averaged 27.2 points while grabbing 7.2 rebounds and dishing out 3.3 assists.
According to Sports-Reference, the Trojans had the fifth-most challenging strength of schedule this season, which should bode well for them when they take on the Huskies.
Connecticut has yet to be tested during this tournament, having defeated No. 14 Jackson State, No. 6 Syracuse and No. 7 Duke en route to the Elite Eight.
In contrast, USC defeated a Baylor team (74-70) in the Sweet 16 that was probably underseeded at No. 5.
Connecticut’s offense particularly struggled its last time out against Duke, shooting 40% from the floor and 18.8% from behind the 3-point line.
That type of performance simply won’t cut it against the Trojans.
Watkins will easily be the best player on the court in this matchup, and this point spread suggests a bit of Huskies bias, given their history in the NCAA Tournament.
This UConn team, led by junior guard Paige Bueckers (21.9 points per game), isn’t nearly as good as the ones we’ve seen dominate the women’s college basketball landscape.
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Connecticut vs. USC pick
The Huskies remain a very public team, but they don’t pass the eye test.
There’s a good chance the wrong team is favored in this matchup, so take the points and the underdog Trojans.