The UConn women's basketball team advanced to the Final Four with an 80-73 win over USC, and star Paige Bueckers had a powerful message after the game in regards to overcoming adversity.

“You can overcome anything with God on your side, with hard work on your side,” Paige Bueckers said on ESPN after the game. “With the belief, the faith, the perseverance and the resilience. It's all about how you overcome adversity in life. Just sticking together as one and not letting anything break us.”

The UConn women's basketball team's injuries have been well-documented. It is an incredible feat for Geno Auriemma and Bueckers to lead the team to the Final Four. Bueckers scored 28 points on 11-for-23 shooting with 10 rebounds and six assists. She has now brought her team to the Final Four in each of the three seasons that she has played.

The Huskies are now set to take on Iowa in the semifinal on Friday night, and the winner will take on either South Carolina or NC State in the championship game.

Geno Auriemma's team is missing five key scholarship players who were all expected to be key rotation players this year in Azzi Fudd, Ayanna Patterson, Jana El Alfy, Caroline Ducharme and Aubrey Griffin. Azzi Fudd barely played this season before tearing her ACL and is one of the team's best shooters on the team. Ayanna Patterson and Jana El Alfy both did not play at all this season. Caroline Ducharme dealt with head injuries that have plagued her in the past. Aubrey Griffin was a huge defensive presence for UConn this season as well, but suffered a torn ACL in January.

Paige Bueckers and Aaliyah Edwards powering UConn

Bueckers gets the majority of the attention for the Huskies, and rightfully so, but Aaliyah Edwards' play should not be overlooked. Geno Auriemma's team would not be playing on Friday if Aaliyah Edwards was not playing as well as she is. She put up 24 points with six rebounds, and was especially key in the late stages of the game as the Huskies pulled away in the fourth quarter.

Bueckers and Edwards to the heavy lifting for UConn, and they likely will have to do the same on Friday against Iowa.

Auriemma's game plan against JuJu Watkins was very good, and although Nika Muhl's stat line is not as flashy, her defense was vital in the win. Muhl very well could get the assignment of guarding Caitlin Clark on Friday, just as she did when UConn played Iowa in Portland in the PK85 in 2022. Bueckers was not on the floor as she was dealing with her torn ACL at the time, so she might be able to help on the defensive end to try to slow down Clark as well.