Kayleigh Heckel on her return to USC: 'Trying to think about it as a regular game'

Kayleigh Heckel is plenty familiar with the UConn-USC matchup. Last season, she had five points in 13 minutes in Hartford, then hit the same point total in 19 minutes during the Elite Eight. Heckel will now play in her third game between the teams on Saturday, only this time she’ll do so in a different uniform.

Last year, she suited up for the Trojans. Now, she’ll find herself on the opposite bench after transferring to the Huskies over the offseason. This will be Heckel’s first time to the Galen Center as a visitor, though she’s tried to keep that out of her mind in the lead-up to the game.

“I haven't thought too much about it,” Heckel said after UConn’s win over DePaul on Sunday. “I just try to take one game at a time. But I'm excited to go back. I mean, I had a great freshman year there, I learned a lot and it was a great experience. A lot of fond memories.”

Geno Auriemma took a different tact. Instead of ignoring the obvious, he needled Heckel about her return.

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