WATCH: 18-year-old Sarah Strong bottles clutch FT and badly misses 3pt heave in final seconds of UConn vs USC

A wild final sequence decided the showdown between the UConn Huskies and the USC Trojans on Saturday, with Sarah Strong at the center of it all. Her missed free throws and 3-point attempt in the closing seconds ended the Huskies' comeback bid in a 72-70 loss to the Trojans at XL Center.

Strong had an opportunity to tie the contest after being awarded three free throws with five seconds left. She cut USC's lead to 72-70 after making the first free throw but missed her second attempt.

Strong's third free-throw attempt also missed, leading to a rebounding battle for possession.

Paige Bueckers grabbed the offensive rebound, giving the Huskies another chance to tie the game or win outright. Bueckers passed the ball to Strong, who was positioned just inside the 3-point arc. However, Bueckers’ pass sailed past Strong's head and landed near the Huskies' logo at midcourt.

USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (#12) and forward Kiki Iriafen (#44) defend against UConn Huskies forward Sarah Strong (#21) in the first half at XL Center. Photo: Imagn

Strong hustled to get the ball with 3.0 seconds remaining. Unaware that she still had plenty of time left on the game clock, Strong turned around and launched a desperation heave with 2.6 seconds left.

The Huskies could only watch as Strong’s 3-point attempt missed badly to the right. The ball hit the glass before dropping to the floor as time expired, securing the win for USC.

Sarah Strong and Paige Bueckers star in UConn's second-half rally

Sarah Strong and Paige Bueckers helped the No. 4 UConn Huskies erase an 18-point deficit in the second half, combining for 28 points during that period. Strong gave UConn its first and only lead of the game with 4:34 remaining in the fourth quarter, scoring a layup to put the Huskies in front 65-64.

UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (#5) and USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (#12) on the court in the first half of their NCAA basketball game at XL Center on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. Photo: Imagn

and Bueckers each recorded 22 points for the Huskies, who lost for just the second time this season. Their previous defeat came against then-No. 8 Notre Dame on Dec. 12. JuJu Watkins scored 25 points for the No. 7 USC Trojans, who extended their winning streak to seven games.