Written by Sarah Bergstrom, USC blog contributor
For a team that welcomes back just five returning players, the USC women's basketball team spent this offseason focused on finding the right pieces. Turning her attention to the globe, head coach Cynthia Cooper-Dyke found what she was looking for in seven new faces including two transfers and three international additions. Now, with the start of the season just two weeks away, Cooper-Dyke and her eager Trojans are looking to prove that their new-look team has what it takes to propel USC women's basketball back to the top.
"This year we have a lot of new faces so, a lot of different energy with the team," Cooper-Dyke said of her new-look USC crew. "We've done a lot more team building, just to get everybody on the same page. But we are excited about our potential and we are working hard to really be one of the stronger teams in the Pac-12."
For a complete 2015-16 season outlook, click here.
USC's veteran group includes redshirt junior guard Jordan Adams, junior guard Courtney Jaco and senior guard Brianna Barrett in addition to redshirt junior Alexis Lloyd and sophomore Kristen Simon. This solid foundation will anchor the Trojans who are looking for big post production from newcomer Temi Fagbenle, a talented All-Ivy League transfer from Harvard.
In the recent past, no more than one international player has been on the USC roster at one time. This season, the Trojans welcome Candela Abejón from Spain, Dani Milisic from Australia and Khaedin Taito from New Zealand as well as Fagbenle, who was raised in London and whose family now lives in Nigeria, and Marguerite Effa who lived in Cameroon before moving to California for high school.
Get your first look at the Trojans' new international flair at their season opener against Hope International at 12 p.m. on Friday November 13. The Women of Troy play again at Galen Center on Monday November 16 at 4 p.m. versus Santa Clara. Click here to purchase tickets for the upcoming season.
Check out Cooper-Dyke's full season preview from this week's Trojans Live here...
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