Get set for the final Women's March Madness Elite Eight matchup when the No. 2 seed UConn Huskies meet No. 1 seed USC Trojans tonight in their Spokane Regional 4 bout.
The Trojans are without leading scorer JuJu Watkins, and tonight's UConn vs. USC predictions expect the Huskies to advance to the Final Four comfortably.
Read on for my Women’s March Madness picks for Monday, March 31.
Who will win UConn vs USC?
The UConn Huskies are out to avenge a two-point December home loss to the USC Trojans, and they should beat USC by a comfortable margin.
JuJu Watkins scored 25 points in December but suffered an ACL tear in the second-round victory over Mississippi State. That was a terrible loss for USC, yet it somehow beat Kansas State to reach the Elite Eight.
Paige Bueckers has turned Women’s March Madness into her own personal playground. She’s surrounded by long-range snipers that also form the best defense in the land.
USC is still formidable without Watkins, but it won’t beat Bueckers and the Huskies.
UConn vs USC prediction
My best bet: UConn -13.5 (-110 at bet365)
It’s payback time.
We all know what JuJu Watkins did to UConn in the last matchup, but another difference tonight will be the presence of senior guard Azi Fudd for the Huskies, who went scoreless in eight minutes back in December.
She was returning from her own ACL surgery but ended the season as the Huskies' third-leading scorer, and she'll play a pivotal role here.
The Huskies are also led by guard Paige Bueckers, who has turned the 2025 Women’s March Madness into her going-away party. The likely No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft has scored 34+ in the last two, and I expect her to come out firing tonight.
Bueckers doesn’t only score; the Huskies' superstar has nine steals and four blocks and is the leader of the best defense in the country.
Without Watkins, USC must rely on talented first-year students and one overwhelmed senior, and that won’t fly against Bueckers and UConn.
UConn vs USC same-game parlay (SGP)
UConn -13.5
UConn first-half -5.5
USC team total Under 55.5
USC managed just 67 points without Watkins in its win against Kansas State. The Trojans shot only 38.5% from the field and 33% from downtown in their Sweet 16 win over the Wildcats.
K-State boasts a good defense, but UConn is elite on that end of the floor, and the Huskies will make life hard for USC frosh sharpshooter Avery Howell and senior Kiki Iriafen to get anything going.
If UConn slows Howell and Iriafen, the Trojans will have difficulties covering the 1H and game spreads while failing to score more than 55 points.
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UConn vs USC odds
 UConn |
 USC |
|
|---|---|---|
| -1300 | Moneyline | +800 |
| -13.5 (-110) | Spread | +13.5 (-110) |
| Over 139.5 (-110) | Total | Under 139.5 (-110) |
Odds courtesy of bet365
How to watch UConn vs USC
| Location | Spokane Arena, Spokane, WA |
| Date | Monday, 3-31-2025 |
| Tip-off | 9:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN |
UConn vs USC key injuries
UConn: No key injuries to report.
USC: JuJu Watkins G (Out).
Not intended for use in MA.
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