HARTFORD, Conn. — JuJu Watkins scored 25 points and No. 7 USC rallied from an 18-point second-half lead to beat Paige Bueckers and fourth-seeded UConn 72-70 on Saturday night.

The game was a rematch of last season’s Elite Eight contest, which the Huskies won and featured two of the best players in women’s college basketball, All-Americans Bueckers and Watkins. The pair protected each other for most of the game.

For Watkins, it was her fourth career 25-point game in six meetings against the AP’s top five teams. No other player has played more than two such games in the last two seasons.

Bueckers finished with 22 points.

With the game tied at 67-67, Watkins passed the ball to Rayah Marshall for a layup with 1:21 left, giving USC the lead.

After the Huskies missed a shot, Watkins was fouled with 31 seconds left. She missed the first of two free throws as the ball sat on the rim for a few seconds before falling. She scored the second goal, giving the Trojans (11-1) a 70-67 lead.

UConn (10-2), which trailed 51-33 in the third quarter before rallying, responded with a basket by Sarah Strong to get within a point four seconds later.

Watkins then shot two free throws with 19.5 seconds left to make it 72-69.

The Huskies had one last chance to tie the game when Strong was fouled while shooting a three-pointer with five seconds left. She made the first free throw, but missed the second. The freshman intentionally missed on third down and UConn got the rebound. It ultimately went to Strong, whose desperation failed to materialize when the buzzer rang.

Takeaways

USC: This was the Trojans’ first test since their loss to Notre Dame on Nov. 23. Now they face three ranked Big Ten teams in their next four games.

UConn: This was the second top-10 team the Huskies have faced this season, and they are now 0-2 after also losing to Notre Dame.

Key moment

Early in the third quarter, Watkins blocked Bueckers’ shot, then took the ball to the other end and scored after it went through her legs as UConn’s star protected her.

Key statistics

One game after UConn made a school-record 20 3-pointers, UConn was just 6 of 23 from behind the 3-point arc.

Next

USC: hosts Michigan on December 29th.

UConn: hosts Providence on Dec. 29.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.