John Fanta
College Basketball Broadcaster and Reporter
Saturday night is everything that resembles the continued rise of women’s college basketball: No. 4 UConn vs. No. 7 USC. Primtime at 8 p.m. ET on FOX. A sold out XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut.
It’s a game between two great teams, two great coaches, and yes, two great superstar players.
Paige Bueckers vs. JuJu Watkins.
It’s a rematch of last year’s Elite Eight showdown that saw the Huskies prevail past the top-seeded Trojans and advance to the Final Four. Watkins went for a game-high 29 points in that matchup, while Bueckers stuffed the stat sheet with 28 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.
Starting a home-and-home series with these two big-name programs and the superstar power they possess was a no-brainier for Hall of Famer Geno Auriemma and USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb. With a return game set to take place in Los Angeles next season, the lights will shine bright in Hartford on Saturday night.
Both the Huskies and Trojans are off to 10–1 starts to the season. Bueckers, who is in her fifth season with the program after a career that’s seen her battle through multiple injuries, is averaging 20.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists while shooting an eye-popping 58% from the floor and 44% from 3-point land. The question is: How much will the Huskies get beyond Bueckers? Auriemma told the press Friday that star senior Azzi Fudd, who has missed the last three games due to a minor knee sprain, could play Saturday, which would be a huge boost for the Huskies.
As for Watkins, who set the NCAA’s all-time freshman scoring record with 920 points last year en route to winning National Freshman of the Year honors, her totals might be slightly down this season, but it has come with a rise in efficiency. The 6-foot-2 guard from Los Angeles is averaging 24.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 45% from the floor (up from 40%) and 34% from beyond the arc (up from 32%).
Watkins has the benefit of playing alongside a fellow superstar in Stanford transfer Kiki Iriafen, who is averaging 18.7 points and 9.2 rebounds per game while shooting 54% from the field and 40% from downtown. The matchup between Iriafen and UConn freshman standout Sarah Strong (17.3 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 3.6 APG) might not be the main headliner with Watkins meeting Bueckers, but it could end up deciding the game if the two superstars negate each other.
FOX Sports caught up with Watkins ahead of Saturday’s top-10 showdown on FOX.
How excited are you about playing in primetime on Saturday night in a sold-out building against Paige Bueckers and UConn?
“I’m so stoked. To get a top-10 matchup, it’s always a great opportunity. And for us to really showcase what we’ve been working on and our progress since the beginning of the season, we’re really excited for it, and you just know it’s going to be a great one.”
How much does last year’s Elite Eight loss to UConn drive you and your team, and what’s your mindset entering this game?
“I would say we’re a completely different team from last year, so I wouldn’t say it’s been the most prominent motivator for us to get better, but I’d say for me and some of the returning players, there’s an aspect of taking things personally. They ended our season last year, so, of course, it’s in our nature to make that one of the reasons why we’re going out there to play so hard.”
You have a global reach with your stardom on and off the floor, and what we are watching right now in women’s sports is truly a movement. What does it mean to be a shining light to young girls who look up to you?
“It’s such a great thing, and I’m so blessed to be in this position. I can’t really even fathom that I am that to young women. So, I’m always grateful for the platform that I’ve been given, and I want to inspire others to be themselves.”
How special of a time is it to be in women’s basketball?
“It’s super special. Statistics show that there’s just been so much attention to this sport and women’s sports in general. I’m so glad to be a part of that movement, but it’s also about paying homage. It’s about paying homage to the women that came before us, so many of them, that made our sport what it is today. I’m super grateful for that and to be in this space right here, right now.”
What is this USC team’s identity and in what ways have you evolved the most as a player?
“It’s hard to put it in one word, but I would say that everybody on our team is super capable. Now, it’s just a matter of coming together and figuring out each other’s strengths to get better collectively. But at the end of the day, everybody in this program has the same goal: to win. Whatever we have to do to ensure that happens at USC, we will.”
How would you define Coach Gottlieb?
“Intelligent. She’s super smart. And she’s been such a mentor to me both on and off the court. She’s a great figure to have in your life.”
Your favorite Christmas song?
“Last Christmas by WHAM! That’s my favorite one.”
John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to providing commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him at @John_Fanta.
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