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Azzi Fudd scored 17 points and No. 1 UConn routed 16th-ranked USC on Saturday, 79-51, snapping the Trojans’ 20-game home winning streak with their best player on the bench watching.
JuJu Watkins also didn’t play when UConn beat USC 78-64 in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament in March. She tore her ACL in the second round and is sitting out this season while rehabbing.
The Huskies (10-0) shut down USC star freshman Jazzy Davidson, who was held to 10 points on 3 of 13 shooting.
USC led 9-8 before UConn pulled away.
The defending national champion Huskies ran off 15 straight points to end the first quarter as part of a 24-2 spurt that gave them a 32-11 lead early in the second quarter. Davidson’s jumper — her only one of the first half — was one of just seven field goals for the Trojans before halftime, when UConn led 39-17.
Watkins did her best to keep her teammates loose and confident during timeouts and as they came in and out of the game, but she couldn’t do anything about the Trojans’ poor shooting and UConn’s swarming defense.
USC had no answer defensively, either. As soon as the Trojans packed the paint, UConn would burn them by hitting a 3-pointer, and the Huskies didn’t even have their usual great game from long-range, hitting 7 of 19.
Kennedy Smith had 16 points and seven rebounds to lead the Trojans (7-3), who also lost to then-No. 2 South Carolina last month in Los Angeles, 69-52. Their lone win against a top-10 opponent so far was then-No. 9 N.C. State in the second game of the season, 69-68.
USC’s only sustained run of the game ended the third quarter, with the Trojans outscoring UConn 18-9 to trail 69-39. Jana El Alfy‘s basket gave the Huskies their largest lead of 39 points earlier in the period.
Ashlynn Shade added 15 points and Sarah Strong had 14 points and seven rebounds for UConn.
UConn alum Diana Taurasi and USC alum and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Cheryl Miller shared a pre-game hug wearing their respective school clothing.
Next, UConn hosts Marquette on Wednesday, and USC hosts Cal Poly on Thursday to end a six-game homestand.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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