Two of the best teams in the country are facing off Saturday.
No, we’re not talking about the College Football Playoff. Or the NBA. Or the NFL.
No. 4 UConn and No. 7 USC are meeting in a women’s basketball matchup that has “game of the year” potential stamped in bold font. Headlined by Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins, the level of competition and offensive firepower has the makings of an all-timer.
It just happens to be taking place on one of the busiest days of the sports calendar.
While the game is receiving prime-time billing at 8 p.m. ET on Fox, it is being played amid a slate of college football, NBA and NFL games. In particular, the matchup will compete directly with No. 8 Ohio State facing No. 9 Tennessee for a spot in the CFP quarterfinals.
The dilemma is a familiar occurrence in women’s sports. While strides have been made in recent years with historic viewership across college basketball and the WNBA, top men's sports frequently share competing airtime—and often with it, the larger share of the audience.
When asked what was the main driver of the growth in women’s sports last season, Watkins immediately referenced the media exposure.
“We were in prime-time slots,” Watkins says. “People got to see the talent and of course great players like Angel [Reese] and Caitlin [Clark] and so many more added to that. So, I think that was pretty much the difference for it.”
Bueckers echoed a similar sentiment. She knows the level of play in women’s sports has always been high, but now more viewers are consuming it thanks to the investments being made.
“I think women's sports has always been great,” Bueckers said in August. “I think now we're starting to get the coverage, the attention, the accessibility. You can see the investment in women's sports, the return on investment is even greater. So for people to tune in, watch, more people are talking about it. Obviously the superstar names help—they get people to watch, tune in, and all the story lines help. There's a lot of things contributing to it, but I think just the mere accessibility and attention and respect for sure.”
In the season since Clark and Reese's departures for the WNBA, women’s college basketball is continuing to be driven by stars. Watkins and Bueckers are among the best of them, along with players such as Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo and LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson making headlines of their own with big games and upset performances.
Entertaining and competitive play is still a core part of the identity in women’s college basketball this season, but having games put up against events like the CFP offers less of a chance to garner a stronger audience.
Perhaps there is no better matchup to break the mold than the two powerhouse programs facing off Saturday night.
Coming off her record-breaking freshman year, Watkins currently ranks third in the country in points scored (24.7) on 45.4% shooting while leading USC to a 10–1 start. Meanwhile, Bueckers is averaging 20.6 points on an efficient 58.4% shooting, with UConn also standing at 10–1.
The competition between the two will reflect the current talent of the game, showcased by a likely No. 1 WNBA draft pick in Bueckers, while also displaying the future with Watkins in her sophomore season. The two players know the talent in women’s college basketball has the power to continue to draw people in, backed by increased exposure.
“It's been entertaining always, but just to see the growth in the numbers, the data backs it up,” Bueckers says. “So just keep playing, keep working hard, and [keep up] the entertainment.”
Ultimately, it all comes down to the product on the court. Amid a crowded slate on Saturday, Bueckers and Watkins are primed to show the staying power of women’s sports.
As Watkins puts it, the play always speaks for itself.
“The talent’s definitely there and will continue to be there,” Watkins says. “[It comes down to] getting eyes on it.”
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Paige Bueckers, JuJu Watkins Have Starpower to Make Stamp on Sports-Packed Saturday.
