PORTLAND, Ore. -- Both USC and UConn emphasized Monday's Elite Eight matchup will be the No. 1-seeded Trojans versus the No. 3 Huskies, not simply superstars JuJu Watkins versus Paige Bueckers.
But the schools also couldn't deny the star power that will be on display with a spot in the Final Four on the line, both in their regional final matchup here and across the country when LSU takes on Iowa in Albany, New York.
"I saw somewhere today someone tweeted or something, 'RIP to the viewership numbers,' right? It's going to crush everything," USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. "I think we would all tell you, it's USC against UConn, and it's LSU against Iowa. But star power drives narratives in athletics. It's why the NBA took off. ... I think it's great for our game."
Watkins, a freshman, represents one of the bright young stars in the women's game, ranking second in the country with 27.0 points per game behind Iowa's Caitlin Clark (31.7). Lifting USC to heights it hasn't seen since the early 1990s, the 6-foot-2 guard is considered the front-runner for national freshman of the year while establishing herself in the player of the year conversation.
Bueckers, meanwhile, is a past national player of the year who has taken her program to the Final Four twice, including the national title game in 2022. After missing 2022-23 with an ACL tear, the redshirt junior guard has been sensational for the Huskies, guiding them to their 28th Elite Eight appearance while averaging 27.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 3.2 steals and 2.7 blocks in the postseason.
Watkins and Bueckers met once at a Nike event last year, but the latter says she has admired the former from afar.
"Her confidence, her fearlessness and the ability to just not care that she's a freshman and perform the way that she does at the level that she does, it's pretty amazing," Bueckers said. "Definitely from that conversation, you can tell she's got a good head on her shoulders. She's humble and hungry, and you could tell from that conversation that she wanted to make an impact right away and put her presence on the college game as a freshman."
Even Clark, who is expected to repeat as national player of the year, is looking forward to Monday's matchups.
"It's just super awesome. If I was just a basketball fan in general, I'd be glued to the TV like no other," Clark said. "Paige and JuJu have both been able to have amazing seasons, and I've been able to watch as much as I can. Obviously, I'm pretty busy, but I love turning them on as much as I can, especially JuJu.
"What she's been able to do for that program as a freshman to come in and lead them to the Elite Eight with a chance to go to the Final Four is unreal, it's unheard of. She's so special. Then what Paige has been able to do has been amazing, as well, coming back from injury and really leading her team in the same way. I'm big fans of them."
With Watkins spearheading the charge, USC is enjoying its deepest NCAA tournament run since 1994, when Lisa Leslie and Tina Thompson were on the squad. With a win over UConn on Monday, they would advance to their first Final Four since 1986, Cheryl Miller's senior year.
"Sometimes when you drop off and you are out of sight, you never come back," said UConn coach Geno Auriemma, whose began his career at UConn in 1985. "This seems like a throwback time to USC. One player, one coach can make a difference. Here they are, and here we are. I wish we could both win, but we can't."
It's a different story for the Huskies, who have been to 22 Final Fours, including 14 straight from 2008 to 2022, and have won 11 national championships between 1995 and 2016. Bueckers, though, hasn't checked that accomplishment off the list. And even if Bueckers doesn't always outwardly show it, Auriemma knows she has the hunger to get back to the title game and ensure a different result.
"I think Paige keeps it all inside and lets it come out when it needs to come out, but I know that winning a national championship is really probably the biggest reason why she went to college and played at UConn in the first place," Auriemma said. "It's not something she talks about every day. It's not something that she discusses with her teammates. I just think it's there, and hopefully it shows in her game when we're in crunch time."
The Huskies aren't only about Bueckers, though, with Aaliyah Edwards and Ashlynn Shade also leaned on heavily. And the Trojans aren't just about Watkins, as McKenzie Forbes and Rayah Marshall also are averaging double figures in scoring. Those players may be put on display Monday if both stars are neutralized at times.
"My approach has always been: 'What do they have that we're going to have a problem with?'" Auriemma said. "Then all of a sudden it dawns on you that, 'We've got a problem that we may not be able to solve.' .... Then the other thing that hits you is, 'They've got a problem that they may not be able to solve.'
"That's what makes the game such a beautiful, intriguing expectation, is that maybe neither of us are going to solve the problem, and maybe some of the other players on each team are going to end up being the difference in the game."
Added Gottlieb: "The quality of basketball has been really high and really exciting, but to have stars in these games, I think, makes people tune in, and when you tune in for JuJu, you see Kaitlyn Davis and Kayla Padilla, Rayah and Kenzie Forbes, down the list, Kayla Williams, which is cool. I think it's great for our game, and it will be a good day of women's college basketball tomorrow."
Michael Voepel also contributed to this report.