JuJu Watkins will kick Paige Bueckers’ a** 1-on-1, Geno Auriemma bluntly says: “Thank god JuJu is not playing against Paige” 

UConn coach Geno Auriemma playfully stoked the Paige Bueckers-JuJu Watkins fire ahead of their matchup on Saturday night with a hilarious comment to the media. Speaking about pressure and how Bueckers handles it and what she needs to do to handle it, Auriemma squeezed in a comment that could make headlines.

He mentioned that he tries not to put any unnecessary pressure on his star guard, other than telling her that he's thankful that she's not going up against JuJu Watkins in a 1-on-1 battle because he feels Watkins would kick her a**. That got a laugh from the reporters as well.

"I try not to put any more undue pressure on her, you know." Auriemma said via The UConn Daily. "Other than, I said today that, you know, this isn't a JuJu-Paige game, you know. I said, 'Thank god JuJu is not playing against Paige, I mean it's not JuJu-Paige 1-on-1 'cause JuJu will kick her ass, but this is UConn versus Southern Cal', so you can imagine that didn't go over too good."

Auriemma previewed the Huskies' showdown against Watkins and the USC Trojans on Saturday.

It's Paige Bueckers vs JuJu Watkins in thrilling rematch of last season's Elite Eight showdown

Bueckers and Watkins are set to battle again as No. 4 UConn takes on No. 7 USC in a rematch of last season’s intense Elite Eight game.

Bueckers is having a strong season, averaging 20.6 points per game on 58.4% shooting, while Watkins, coming off a stellar freshman year, leads USC with 24.7 ppg. Both teams have a 10-1 record, making this contest even more enticing.

Although the game is in a prime-time slot at 8:00 p.m. ET on Fox, it will compete for attention against high-profile college football, NBA and NFL games. This overlap with major men’s events is a common challenge for women's professional and college sports, but growing interest in women’s basketball suggests it’s ready to hold its own.

When asked about what has driven the growth in women's sports, JuJu Watkins said that she believes increased media coverage has been key to the rising popularity of women’s sports.

"We were in prime-time slots," she said via SI.com. "People got to see the talent. Great players like Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark and so many others really helped drive that growth."

Bueckers also agreed, noting that the high level of play has always been there, but now it’s reaching more people thanks to better accessibility and investment.

"Women’s sports have always been great," she said. "Now, with the coverage, attention and respect, more people are tuning in. Superstar players and compelling storylines make it even more exciting."

Last year’s Elite Eight matchup was a nail-biter, with Paige Bueckers and UConn coming out with the win.

Who do you think will win when the UConn Huskies take on the USC Trojans on Saturday? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.