USC vs. UConn Prediction, Odds & Preview: Best Picks for Women's March Madness
The No. 1 seed USC Trojans (31-3) meet the No. 2 seed UConn Huskies (34-3) in the women's NCAA Tournament Elite Eight tonight at 9 p.m. ET (ESPN) at Spokane Arena in Spokane, Wash.
The Huskies are 13.5-point betting favorites to win the Spokane 4 Region of the women's March Madness bracket. We discuss why the Trojans won’t be able to keep it close without JuJu Watkins in our USC vs. UConn prediction, odds, and preview as part of our women's March Madness predictions.
🏀 USC vs. UConn prediction & picks for Monday
Here are my best USC vs. UConn predictions for the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament; use our parlay calculator to get the best odds for any same-game parlay:
✅ Against the spread pick: UConn -13.5 (-110 via BetMGM) vs. USC ⭐⭐⭐⭐
🔥 Best player prop bet: Avery Howell Under 15.5 points (-122 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
🎯 Exact score prediction: UConn 77, USC 61 (+17000 via DraftKings)
👉 Want more March Madness action? Check out the rest of our college basketball picks for both the men's and women's NCAA tournaments.
🏆 Best USC vs. UConn pick, player prop bet & score prediction
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✅ UConn to cover the spread: -13.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Trojans showed a lot of heart in their 67-61 win over the Kansas State Wildcats in the Sweet 16. They took care of the ball, winning the turnover battle 16-9, and held the Wildcats to just 41.1% from the floor. Unfortunately for the Trojans, they have too many weaknesses without Watkins to beat UConn.
For all the good the Trojans did in the Sweet 16, they shot just 38.5% from the field. If they shoot that poorly against the Huskies, they’ll get run out of the arena. The Huskies have scored at least 82 points in every NCAA Tournament game, and they’ve held their opponents to 59 or fewer.
I expect a similar result on Monday without Watkins on the court. The spread (13.5 points) is a lot, but the Huskies have covered that spread in 13 consecutive games. Between Paige Bueckers, Sarah Strong, and Azzi Fudd, UConn has too many weapons on both sides of the ball for the Trojans to compete.
📊 Best odds: -110 via BetMGM ($10 to win $9.09)
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🔥 Avery Howell Under 15.5 points ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Howell has been outstanding stepping in for Watkins. She has scored 18 points in her last two games, even though she’s averaging just 7.4 per game this season. However, Howell will come back to Earth and struggle to find her shot against the No. 1 scoring defense in the country.
Before her current stretch of back-to-back games, Howell had scored more than 14 points just once all season. Granted, she was never called upon to do so, but her success in her last two games has just as much to do with her opponents as her extended playing time.
Howell has made four 3-pointers in each of her last two games. That won’t happen tonight when she takes on a defense allowing opponents to make just 29% of their shots from beyond the arc. The price for the Under is expensive, but rightfully so.
📊 Best odds: -122 via FanDuel ($10 to win $8.20)
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🎯 Score prediction: UConn 77, USC 61
The Trojans managed just 67 points against Kansas State in the Sweet 16 without Watkins. They will perform even worse tonight against the nation's best scoring defense - look for USC to struggle to score over 60 without its leading scorer.
Meanwhile, the Huskies have been rolling over teams all season long. UConn has scored over 80 in all three of its NCAA Tournament games, but I’ll take it to go slightly below that number against one of the better defenses it has faced this season.
📊 Best odds: +17000 via DraftKings ($10 to win $1,700)
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🤖 USC vs. UConn AI prediction
For entertainment purposes, we asked ChatGPT to analyze historical trends and live NCAA Tournament stats before predicting the winner and exact score for USC vs. UConn. Our AI prediction projects a final score of UConn 82, USC 63.
🖥️ AI score prediction: UConn 82, USC 63
- Watkins’ absence is a significant blow to the Trojans’ offense, as she’s their leading scorer and playmaker.
- The Huskies typically excel on both ends of the court. On offense, they are very efficient, and on defense, they have the ability to disrupt opposing offenses with their pressure and shot-blocking abilities.
- UConn’s coaching staff, led by Geno Auriemma, has consistently demonstrated the ability to adjust and perform in high-pressure tournament situations. USC’s coaching staff has done well but may be at a disadvantage without its star player.
🤔 Betting takeaway: ChatGPT's AI prediction would mean UConn covering the spread (-13.5) and a total of Over 138.5 points. ChatGPT is not a dedicated sports betting model, but it can identify data that March Madness bettors might overlook.
📊 Live USC vs. UConn odds
Follow the latest women's March Madness odds for the NCAA Tournament.
🔢 USC vs. UConn opening odds
- Spread: USC +13.5 (-110) | UConn -13.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: USC +750 | UConn -1200
- Over/Under: Over 140.5 (-110) | Under 140.5 (-110)
📺 How to watch USC vs. UConn: Women's Elite Eight
📅 Date: Monday, March 31
🕗 Time: 9 p.m. ET
📍 Location: Spokane Arena (Spokane, Wash.)
📺 TV: ESPN
💻 Streaming: ESPN+
💰 March Madness betting odds pages
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