NCAAB News: Paige Bueckers makes bold remark about JuJu Watkins after UConn's loss to USC

Paige Bueckers was on a roll for the UConn Huskies in their latest matchup. She led the way with 22 points, but the No. 4 team couldn’t keep up with the USC Trojans on Saturday night.

Geno Auriemma’s team fell 72-70 at home. They threatened to pull off a big comeback, but the No. 7 team in the nation held their ground on defense to secure the win.

Notably, this was the second time in their careers that Bueckers squared off with fellow star JuJu Watkins. Following the game, she talked about how that kind of matchup gave her plenty of motivation.

Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins share praise for one another

“Definitely, playing against great players, you embrace the matchup,” Bueckers said. “You have fun in the moment. Both teams are trying to win, but yeah, matchups like these are why we play basketball.”

USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) looks on during the womenÕs college basketball game between the Elon Phoenix and the USC Trojans on December 15, 2024 at Galen Center in Los Angeles, CA.

The USC guard and future WNBA superstar also had nothing but praise for her colleague. Following her 25-point performance in the win, she raved about their high-flying matchup:

“Paige is an excellent player, and I think it’s just a testament to when you give women a platform, we’re going to perform,” JuJu said. “I think that tonight was an excellent game. Super exciting, and I think as we continue to get games like this, we’ll always show up.”

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Geno Auriemma’s team will look to bounce back from this heartbreaking home loss on December 29 when they meet Providence. USC, on the other hand, will look to keep the ball rolling against Michigan.