After a thrilling 2023-24 women’s college basketball season that saw the undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks win their second title in three years, the 2024-25 season is certainly going to need some marquee games in order to contend with last year’s viewership.

Fortunately, fans did not have to wait long for the NCAA to announce arguably the game, or should I say games, of the year.

The USC Trojans and UConn Huskies are both expected to be powerhouses in women’s college basketball next season, with each team contending for a national title while boasting some of the most talented players in the sport.

UConn, of course, brings Paige Bueckers to the table, a 6-foot guard that many considered the best player in college basketball last year, behind Caitlin Clark. Meanwhile, USC will feature JuJu Watkins, who took the NCAA by storm in her freshman season. The two of them will undoubtedly improve between last year and next, and the home-and-home series between the two schools could very well be a look ahead at the NCAA title game.

USC vs. UConn rivalry?

Do these schools play each other often? Not at all, and that’s what makes this series all the more enticing. The two schools have only squared off three times in their histories, with the Huskies holding a 3-0 advantage.

USC vs. UConn Elite Eight matchup:

The last time these schools faced each other was in the Elite Eight of last year’s March Madness tournament. Bueckers and the No. 3 seed Huskies were able to take down the No. 1 seed Trojans by a final of 80-73.

What did Watkins and Bueckers do last season?

Last season, Bueckers averaged 21.9 points per game, leading UConn to a 33-6 record and a Final Four appearance. They were eventually defeated in the Final Four by Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes. Meanwhile, Watkins, as a freshman, put up 27.1 points per game.