Monday, November 4
Paris, France
9:00 a.m.
USC
1-0,0-0Big Ten
68
vs
66
Ole Miss
0-1,0-0SEC
1
2
3
4
F
Ole Miss
16
10
19
21
66
Southern California
15
22
15
16
68
Team Stats
UM
USC
FG%
.289
.400
3FG%
.292
.091
FT%
.714
.793
RB
43
49
TO
16
27
STL
15
9
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
27
FGM
8
3FGM
1
FTM
10
Pts
22
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
8
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
3
FGM
1
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
C/F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
Photo by: Chris Mora
No. 3 USC Women’s Basketball Digs Deep For 68-66 Win Over No. 20 Ole Miss In Paris
November 04, 2024 | Women's Basketball
Kiki Iriafen and JuJu Watkins both record double-doubles for the Women of Troy in Aflac Oui-Play Game.
PARIS, FRANCE — The No. 3 USC women's basketball team stood its ground from the free-throw line to pull off a 68-66 win over No. 20 Ole Miss, fighting back from down four points in the fourth with a stubborn stand to open up the 2024-25 campaign with a victory in Paris, France. The Trojans were playing in the first official collegiate basketball game of the season, taking the stage at Adidas Arena in Paris in an Aflac Oui-Play Game.
USC heated up in the second quarter offensively and stayed stingy on defense to turn a three-point deficit into an 11-point halftime advantage. The Trojans shot 51.7 percent from the floor in the first 20 minutes of action while holding the Rebels to 17.9 percent, and USC had the edge on the boards 26-25 by the break. JuJu Watkins had 16 points on the board, and three USC freshmen also were on the scoresheet in their Trojan debuts by halftime in Paris.
Ole Miss got some 3-pointers to go in the second half to cut into the Trojan lead, but USC was composed from the free-throw line in the fourth, going 14-of-14 to counter the Rebels' late push. Ole Miss outscored USC 40-31 in the second half, but the Trojans pulled together to net the win. USC finished up the game shooting 40 percent overall from the floor, going 23-of-29 from the free-throw line and outrebounding Ole Miss 48-43. The Rebels wrapped at 29.7 percent from the floor, despite a 30-percent showing (7-of-23) from beyond the arc.
The Trojans were paced by double-doubles from Kiki Iriafen and JuJu Watkins. Iriafen pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds to go with her 22 points, and Watkins tallied a game-high 27 points with 10 rebounds. USC freshman Kennedy Smith also hit double digits in her Trojan debut, scoring 12 points. Ole Miss was led in scoring by Kristen Deans' 19 points and 14 from Madison Scott.
USC's first points of the season came from freshman Kennedy Smith, who converted a feed from Talia von Oelhofen to get the Trojans an early lead. JuJu Watkins would find Smith later, then scored a bucket of her own to lift USC ahead 10-5 midway through the first quarter. The Rebels reeled the Trojans back in as the foul count tipped against USC, getting back-to-back buckets to go and level it at 13-13 with 2:20 on the clock. A Watkins block would send USC the other way, and Smith slipped in a putback to nudge the Trojans ahead 15-13. Ole Miss would be awarded a trip to the line for three in the final second of the frame, however, draining all three to net its first lead of the game, up 16-15 after 10 minutes of action. USC worked its way back on top thanks in large part to a three-point play from freshman Avery Howell, who leveled things with her efforts before Watkins drained USC's first 3-pointer of the game at 8:30 to make it a 21-18 USC advantage. Freshman Kayleigh Heckel notched her first points as a Trojan soon after, getting USC a 24-20 lead. Watkins would provide six points in an 8-0 USC rally to lead it 35-24, and then the Trojan defense forced a shot clock violation by the Rebels next. Ole Miss got a couple free throws to drop to break up USC's run in the final minute of the half, only to see Watkins strike before the close to make it a 37-26 USC lead at the break.
Kiki Iriafen delivered six straight points for the Trojans to help build a 49-36 USC lead with 5:50 on the clock in the third. The Rebels bit back with a 7-0 surge to knock down the deficit to six with 3:20 to go in that third frame. A three-point play from Watkins broke that up, but Ole Miss scored the final bucket of the frame to make it a 52-45 scoreline entering the fourth. The Rebels kept coming in the fourth, knocking down a couple clutch 3-pointers, with one of those sparking a 6-0 run that got Ole Miss on top 57-56 with 5:20 to go. It was a back-and-forth battle from there, and USC would drop behind 64-60 with 2:50 remaining. Veteran and young talent stood tall for the Trojans next, as Iriafen hit two free throws and Smith followed suit to pull even. A long bucket from the Rebels had them on top 66-64, only to see USC's Rayah Marshall get a key steal to send USC back the other way. Next to the line for USC was newcomer Talia von Oelhofffen, who carried four fouls but deftly leveled the game with two tossed from the line with 21 seconds on the clock. Iriafen came up with an interception next on the defensive end, and she'd coolly hit from the stripe with 10 seconds left to give USC a 68-66 lead. Ole Miss wouldn't get a late look off in time, and the Trojans had the win.
NEXT:
USC heads back to Los Angeles to set up for its home opener at Galen Center, hosting Cal Poly in a 2 p.m. game on Saturday (Nov. 9).
NOTABLE:
- Three USC freshman made their debuts today: Kennedy Smith (starter), Kayleigh Heckel and Avery Howell.
- Kiki Iriafen and JuJu Watkins both had double-doubles for USC today, marking the first time since 2010 that two Trojans recorded double-doubles in a USC season opener.
- With five blocks today, Watkins tied her career high.
- Today's game vs. No. 20 Ole Miss marked the eighth time USC has faced a ranked opponent in a season opener in program history.
- It is just the second time in program history that USC has faced a ranked opponent in back-to-back season openers — Last season, USC opened with a win over No. 7 Ohio State; USC beat Old Dominion in the 1986-87 season opener and lost to Texas in the 1987-88 season opener).
- This is the first time that USC has beaten a ranked opponent in consecutive season openers.
USC heated up in the second quarter offensively and stayed stingy on defense to turn a three-point deficit into an 11-point halftime advantage. The Trojans shot 51.7 percent from the floor in the first 20 minutes of action while holding the Rebels to 17.9 percent, and USC had the edge on the boards 26-25 by the break. JuJu Watkins had 16 points on the board, and three USC freshmen also were on the scoresheet in their Trojan debuts by halftime in Paris.
Ole Miss got some 3-pointers to go in the second half to cut into the Trojan lead, but USC was composed from the free-throw line in the fourth, going 14-of-14 to counter the Rebels' late push. Ole Miss outscored USC 40-31 in the second half, but the Trojans pulled together to net the win. USC finished up the game shooting 40 percent overall from the floor, going 23-of-29 from the free-throw line and outrebounding Ole Miss 48-43. The Rebels wrapped at 29.7 percent from the floor, despite a 30-percent showing (7-of-23) from beyond the arc.
The Trojans were paced by double-doubles from Kiki Iriafen and JuJu Watkins. Iriafen pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds to go with her 22 points, and Watkins tallied a game-high 27 points with 10 rebounds. USC freshman Kennedy Smith also hit double digits in her Trojan debut, scoring 12 points. Ole Miss was led in scoring by Kristen Deans' 19 points and 14 from Madison Scott.
USC's first points of the season came from freshman Kennedy Smith, who converted a feed from Talia von Oelhofen to get the Trojans an early lead. JuJu Watkins would find Smith later, then scored a bucket of her own to lift USC ahead 10-5 midway through the first quarter. The Rebels reeled the Trojans back in as the foul count tipped against USC, getting back-to-back buckets to go and level it at 13-13 with 2:20 on the clock. A Watkins block would send USC the other way, and Smith slipped in a putback to nudge the Trojans ahead 15-13. Ole Miss would be awarded a trip to the line for three in the final second of the frame, however, draining all three to net its first lead of the game, up 16-15 after 10 minutes of action. USC worked its way back on top thanks in large part to a three-point play from freshman Avery Howell, who leveled things with her efforts before Watkins drained USC's first 3-pointer of the game at 8:30 to make it a 21-18 USC advantage. Freshman Kayleigh Heckel notched her first points as a Trojan soon after, getting USC a 24-20 lead. Watkins would provide six points in an 8-0 USC rally to lead it 35-24, and then the Trojan defense forced a shot clock violation by the Rebels next. Ole Miss got a couple free throws to drop to break up USC's run in the final minute of the half, only to see Watkins strike before the close to make it a 37-26 USC lead at the break.
Kiki Iriafen delivered six straight points for the Trojans to help build a 49-36 USC lead with 5:50 on the clock in the third. The Rebels bit back with a 7-0 surge to knock down the deficit to six with 3:20 to go in that third frame. A three-point play from Watkins broke that up, but Ole Miss scored the final bucket of the frame to make it a 52-45 scoreline entering the fourth. The Rebels kept coming in the fourth, knocking down a couple clutch 3-pointers, with one of those sparking a 6-0 run that got Ole Miss on top 57-56 with 5:20 to go. It was a back-and-forth battle from there, and USC would drop behind 64-60 with 2:50 remaining. Veteran and young talent stood tall for the Trojans next, as Iriafen hit two free throws and Smith followed suit to pull even. A long bucket from the Rebels had them on top 66-64, only to see USC's Rayah Marshall get a key steal to send USC back the other way. Next to the line for USC was newcomer Talia von Oelhofffen, who carried four fouls but deftly leveled the game with two tossed from the line with 21 seconds on the clock. Iriafen came up with an interception next on the defensive end, and she'd coolly hit from the stripe with 10 seconds left to give USC a 68-66 lead. Ole Miss wouldn't get a late look off in time, and the Trojans had the win.
NEXT:
USC heads back to Los Angeles to set up for its home opener at Galen Center, hosting Cal Poly in a 2 p.m. game on Saturday (Nov. 9).
NOTABLE:
- Three USC freshman made their debuts today: Kennedy Smith (starter), Kayleigh Heckel and Avery Howell.
- Kiki Iriafen and JuJu Watkins both had double-doubles for USC today, marking the first time since 2010 that two Trojans recorded double-doubles in a USC season opener.
- With five blocks today, Watkins tied her career high.
- Today's game vs. No. 20 Ole Miss marked the eighth time USC has faced a ranked opponent in a season opener in program history.
- It is just the second time in program history that USC has faced a ranked opponent in back-to-back season openers — Last season, USC opened with a win over No. 7 Ohio State; USC beat Old Dominion in the 1986-87 season opener and lost to Texas in the 1987-88 season opener).
- This is the first time that USC has beaten a ranked opponent in consecutive season openers.
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