Sunday, December 3
Los Angeles, Calif.
3:00 PM
USC
7-0,0-0Pac-12
89
vs
58
San Diego
3-5,0-0WCC
1
2
3
4
F
San Diego
17
11
14
16
58
Southern California
23
25
19
22
89
Photo by: Drake Lee
JuJu Watkins Records Third Straight 30-Point Game As No. 6 USC Tops San Diego 89-58
December 03, 2023 | Women's Basketball
Watkins ties Cheryl Miller’s record of consecutive 30-point game as Trojans improve to 7-0 with another win at Galen Center.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — JuJu Watkins scored 30 points and No. 6 Southern California defeated San Diego 89-58 on Sunday.
It was fifth time the star freshman has scored 30 or more points in a game this season. She reached the mark on a 3-pointer in the game's final 3 minutes. Watkins made all six of her free throws and had eight rebounds and five assists.
The Trojans (7-0) effectively put away the Toreros in the second quarter.
Watkins scored 11 straight points to stretch a five-point lead into a 16-point advantage. She scored off her own steal and then grabbed a defensive rebound, raced downcourt, brushed off a defender and hit a 3-pointer for a 36-20 lead.
Kayla Williams and Taylor Bigby followed with back-to-back 3-pointers, and the Trojans led 48-28 at the break.
Kylie Horstmeyer tied her career high with 18 points to lead the Toreros (3-5), who committed 18 turnovers. They tried double-teaming Watkins, but she usually found a way to the basket or passed to an open teammate.
Watkins had eight points in the third, reeling off six in a row, and USC extended its lead to 67-42 with Hall of Famer Cheryl Miller applauding the freshman from courtside.
San Diego kept it close in the first quarter when both teams shot 53% from the floor. It wasn't until the Trojans closed with six straight points that they owned their largest lead of the period, 23-17.
BIG PICTURE
San Diego: The Toreros have lost to four of the six NCAA Tournament teams they'll face this season. They had four starters to replace from last season and dipped into the transfer portal as well as adding three freshmen, including two from Australia.
USC: The Trojans are spending the entire month of December playing in the area, with their longest trip being Long Beach on Dec. 21. They'll cap the month with their toughest matchup so far, against No. 2 and crosstown rival UCLA in Westwood on Dec. 30.
###
NEXT:
USC stays at Galen Center next week, setting up for a doubleheader with the USC men on Sunday (Dec. 10). The Women of Troy host UC Riverside at 3:30 p.m. that day following the USC men's 1 p.m. game vs. Long Beach State.
NOTABLE:
-The Trojans recorded a season-high 48 points in the first half.
- With a game-high 30 points, FR JuJu Watkins recorded her fifth 30-point game of the season; she holds the freshman record for most 30 point games in a season.
- This was Watkins' third consecutive 30-point outing, matching a USC record set by Cheryl Miller with three straight 30-point outing in her junior season (1984-85).
- Watkins has scored double digits in all seven games, with 191 total points to date (27.3 ppg).
- With a season-high 20 points JR Rayah Marshall has scored double-digits in USC's last eight games (going back to USC's NCAA First Round game last season).
- With 20 points and 12 rebounds today, Marshall recorded her fourth double-double of the season and the 24th of her USC career.
- GS Kayla Padilla tied her season high of six assists.
- USC extends its nonconference home winning streak to 14 straight games.
- USC extends its unbeaten streak against USD to 5-0.
It was fifth time the star freshman has scored 30 or more points in a game this season. She reached the mark on a 3-pointer in the game's final 3 minutes. Watkins made all six of her free throws and had eight rebounds and five assists.
The Trojans (7-0) effectively put away the Toreros in the second quarter.
Watkins scored 11 straight points to stretch a five-point lead into a 16-point advantage. She scored off her own steal and then grabbed a defensive rebound, raced downcourt, brushed off a defender and hit a 3-pointer for a 36-20 lead.
Kayla Williams and Taylor Bigby followed with back-to-back 3-pointers, and the Trojans led 48-28 at the break.
Kylie Horstmeyer tied her career high with 18 points to lead the Toreros (3-5), who committed 18 turnovers. They tried double-teaming Watkins, but she usually found a way to the basket or passed to an open teammate.
Watkins had eight points in the third, reeling off six in a row, and USC extended its lead to 67-42 with Hall of Famer Cheryl Miller applauding the freshman from courtside.
San Diego kept it close in the first quarter when both teams shot 53% from the floor. It wasn't until the Trojans closed with six straight points that they owned their largest lead of the period, 23-17.
BIG PICTURE
San Diego: The Toreros have lost to four of the six NCAA Tournament teams they'll face this season. They had four starters to replace from last season and dipped into the transfer portal as well as adding three freshmen, including two from Australia.
USC: The Trojans are spending the entire month of December playing in the area, with their longest trip being Long Beach on Dec. 21. They'll cap the month with their toughest matchup so far, against No. 2 and crosstown rival UCLA in Westwood on Dec. 30.
###
NEXT:
USC stays at Galen Center next week, setting up for a doubleheader with the USC men on Sunday (Dec. 10). The Women of Troy host UC Riverside at 3:30 p.m. that day following the USC men's 1 p.m. game vs. Long Beach State.
NOTABLE:
-The Trojans recorded a season-high 48 points in the first half.
- With a game-high 30 points, FR JuJu Watkins recorded her fifth 30-point game of the season; she holds the freshman record for most 30 point games in a season.
- This was Watkins' third consecutive 30-point outing, matching a USC record set by Cheryl Miller with three straight 30-point outing in her junior season (1984-85).
- Watkins has scored double digits in all seven games, with 191 total points to date (27.3 ppg).
- With a season-high 20 points JR Rayah Marshall has scored double-digits in USC's last eight games (going back to USC's NCAA First Round game last season).
- With 20 points and 12 rebounds today, Marshall recorded her fourth double-double of the season and the 24th of her USC career.
- GS Kayla Padilla tied her season high of six assists.
- USC extends its nonconference home winning streak to 14 straight games.
- USC extends its unbeaten streak against USD to 5-0.
Team Stats
SD
USC
FG%
.371
.514
3FG%
.333
.333
FT%
.769
.769
RB
37
40
TO
18
10
STL
5
7
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
30
FGM
11
3FGM
2
FTM
6
Pts
20
FGM
9
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballC/F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballWomen's Basketball Head Coach Lindsay Gottlieb Media Availability 9/18/25
Thursday, September 18
USC WBB's Lindsay Gottlieb, Rayah Marshall and Talia von Oelhoffen | Trojan Press Conference
Monday, March 31
USC WBB heads to the Elite 8, defeats Kansas State in Sweet 16 | Rapid Reaction
Saturday, March 29
Kennedy Smith on USC WBB heading to the Elite Eight, Trojan freshmen getting the job done
Saturday, March 29
