Saturday, March 23
Los Angeles, Calif.
1:30 PM
USC
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Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Players Mentioned
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C/F
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/ Women's Basketball
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F
/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
Photo by: Katie Chin/USC Athletics
Top-Seeded USC Women’s Basketball Sets Up To Host NCAA First & Second Rounds
March 20, 2024 | Women's Basketball
A No. 1 seed for the first time since 1986, USC opens up against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday at Galen Center.
THIS WEEK
As it grips its highest national ranking since 1986, the No. 3 USC women's basketball team has also secured its first No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament since 1986 as the Trojans set up to host First and Second Round action at Galen Center. Joining top-seeded USC (26-5) for NCAA competition in Los Angeles this week are No. 16 seed Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (23-8), [8] Kansas (19-12) and [9] Michigan (20-13). On Saturday (March 23), the Wildcats and Wolverines face off in their first-round clash at 11 a.m. PT followed by a 1:30 p.m. meeting between the Trojans and Islanders. Winners move on to the NCAA Second Round on Monday (March 25), with that tip time still to be determined.
NCAA NOTES
• USC is 29-15 in the NCAA Tournament, with two NCAA title victories (1983 and 1984).
• This is the Trojans' 18th trip to the NCAA Tournament.
• USC's No. 1 seed in 2024 is its fifth top seed all-time, last earned in 1986.
• USC's is making back-to-back NCAA appearances for the first time since 2006.
• USC was a No. 8 seed in the 2023 NCAA tourney, falling in the first round to South Dakota State in overtime 62-57 in Blacksburg, Va.
• The last time USC earned an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament was 2014 after winning USC's first Pac-12 Tournament championship.
• Head coach Lindsay Gottlieb has led three different programs to the NCAA Tournament — UC Santa Barbara (2009), California (seven appearances in eight seasons) and USC (2023 and 2024).
• USC has played nine other teams in the 68-team field of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, posting a 13-4 record against those opponents this season [No. 2 seed Stanford (2-0); No. 2 seed UCLA (12-1), No. 2 seed Ohio State (1-0), No. 3 seed Oregon State (2-0), No. 5 seed Colorado (1-1), No. 5 seed Utah (0-2), No. 11 seed Arizona (3-0), No. 12 seed FGCU (1-0) and No. 13 seed UC Irvine (1-0].
• USC is one of seven Pac-12 teams in this year's NCAA bracket.
• This is the first time USC has hosted NCAA women's basketball competition since 2009 (Trojans did not make the tournament that year.
• The last time USC has played in and hosted NCAA competition was 1994.
FOLLOW ALONG
ESPN will be televising the NCAA First- and Second-Round games at Galen Center, with Mary Murphy and Elise Woodward on the calls. Saturday's USC game will be live on KABC 790 and streamed at USCTrojans.com/listen and the USC Trojans GameDay app with Jordan Moore on the call.
IN THE POLLS
USC's No. 21 preseason national ranking marked the fourth time the Trojans have appeared in preseason AP and USA Today polls since 2005. It was the highest preseason ranking for USC in that span, following No. 23 in 2011, No. 22 and 2006 and No. 24 (AP) and No. 22 (USA Today) in 2005. In the final AP poll (March 18), USC ranks No. 3 in the nation — matching its highest ranking since 1986. Also this week, USC has shifted to No. 3 in the latest USA Today Coaches Poll (released March 19).
QUICK HITS
• Now 26-5 overall, USC has recorded its most wins since going 26-4 in 1993-94 under head coach Cheryl Miller.
• Now ranked No. 3 in the national AP poll, USC holds its highest ranking since being No. 3 in the final 1986 poll.
• USC's 23 regular-season wins is its most such victories since 1993-94.
• USC's No. 2 seed for the Pac-12 Tournament was its highest-ever seeding for the tourney.
• HC Lindsay Gottlieb is the first coach to ever lead two different Pac-12 programs to the conference title game — she led Cal to 2012 & 2015 title games and won 2024 Pac-12 championship with USC.
• At 13-5 in Pac-12 play, USC collected its most conference wins in a season since 1996-97.
• USC finished Pac-12 play with a program record of six straight conference road wins.
• With its 10-0 start to this season, USC recorded back-to-back 9-0 starts for just the second time in program history, going back to the 1983-84 (10-0) and 1984-85 (10-0) seasons.
• With regular-season wins over then-No. 7 Ohio State, No. 2 UCLA and at No. 4 Stanford, USC recorded three wins over top-10 opponents during the regular season for the first time since 1985-86.
• USC's seven straight Pac-12 wins was its longest single-season conference win streak since 2004-05.
• USC was ranked in the nation's top 10 for 10 straight weeks in AP polls from Nov. 13, 2023-Feb. 12, 2024.
• In all, USC has been ranked as a top-10 team in all but two weeks of competition this season.
• USC was ranked No. 6 in the national AP poll for five straight weeks before moving to No. 9 on Jan. 1 following the Trojans' loss at No. 2 UCLA.
• USC is 8-4 against teams currently ranked in the NET top-25.
• Rayah Marshall has taken over from Paula McGee as USC No. 3 all-time blocks leader (228 career blocks).
• JuJu Watkins has become the sixth USC player ever to be named a First Team All-American (joining Cheryl Miller, Pam McGee, Paula McGee, Lisa Leslie and Tina Thompson).
• Her 51-point game at Stanford set a USC record and is the most by any DI player in the nation this season.
• Watkins' 13 games of 30-plus points is a USC all-time record (men's and women's) in a season and beats out Iowa's Caitlin Clark previous record of 12 for the most such games for a freshman over the last 25 seasons.
• Watkins' 42 points vs. Colorado on Feb. 23 is the most points ever scored by a USC basketball player (male or female) at Galen Center.
• Watkins now ranks No. 4 all-time in single-season scoring by a true freshman in the nation (810 points).
• McKenzie Forbes has hit at least one 3-pointer in all but three games this season.
• Both McKenzie Forbes and Kayla Williams scored their 1,000th career points during this season.
• Kayla Padilla scored her 1,500th career point during this season.
• USC is 12-0 this season when holding opponents under 60 points and is 19-0 when USC scores 70 or more.
• Eight players earned Dean's List honors with Fall GPAs of 3.5 or higher: Clarice Akunwafo, Taylor Bigby, Kaitlyn Davis, Roxane Makolo, Kayla Padilla, Malia Samuels, JuJu Watkins and Kayla Williams.
30-SOMETHING
With her 42-point effort at Oregon, JuJu Watkins set a new USC record in marking her 11th 30-plus-point game of the season — beating the all-time single-season record of 10 held by Cheryl Miller. She had stolen the freshman-season record from Lisa Leslie and Pam McGee with her fourth such outing just six games into her Trojan career. Back-to-back 30-point efforts vs. Cal Poly and vs. San Diego followed a 31-point outing vs. Penn State on Nov. 22, giving Watkins three consecutive 30-point games. That tied another USC record set by Miller, who also had three straight 30-point outings during her junior 1984-85 season. Her USC record-breaking 51 points scored at Stanford stands as the most points scored by a D1 player in a game this season. With 27.0 points per game, Watkins ranks No. 2 in the nation in scoring, and her USC-record 30-plus outings tally now stands at 13 this season — most in a season by any USC basketball player, male or female.
FORBES LISTED
McKenzie Forbes, who was a two-time Pac-12 Freshman of the Week while playing at Cal years ago, secured her first Pac-12 Player of the Week honors and also locked up a selection as an Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week after tallying a season-high 17 points vs. Cal State Fullerton and then more than doubling that effort with a career-high 36 points in an 85-77 road win at Long Beach State. Her 36 points was the most scored in a game by a Trojan since Mariya Moore scored 36 in 2019. Also against the Beach, Forbes made a career-high 13 free throws on a career-high 16 attempts and collected a season-high seven rebounds. She scored in double figures six straight games from 11/28-12/30. Recently, Forbes picked up another set of national accolades with a spot on the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Top 10 List. An All-Pac-12 Team honoree and the Pac-12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player, she's hit at least one 3-pointer in all but three of USC's games this season.
BLOCK LOCK
Defense was one of USC's strengths last season with the help of Rayah Marshall, who earned 2023 All-Pac12 Team honors as she led the conference in total rebounds with 322 and was second in the nation with 98 blocks as a sophomore. Now a junior and coming off a summer playing for the USA in the FIBA Women's AmeriCup, Marshall's shot blocking and rebounding ability coupled with her newfound leadership has made her an essential role player for the Women of Troy as she stands tall in the paint as a center. After tacking up her 21st career double-double in USC's season opener, Marshall also added to her impressive blocks streak, which extended to 53 straight games until being interrupted on Nov. 13. As of March 19, she ranks No. 23 in the nation with a mark of 2.11 blocks per game, and she has recorded at least one block in all but three games in which she's played this season. After adding two blocks to her tally on Jan. 5, Marshall took over as USC's No. 3 all-time shot blocker — a spot that had been held by Trojan great Paula McGee. Marshall was recently named to the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List.
PAC-12 CHAMPS
USC claimed its second Pac-12 Tournament championship a decade after winning its first, having earned its highest-ever seeding as the No. 2 seed in the 2024 bracket. The Trojans claimed their third win of the season over Arizona with a 65-62 victory in the quarterfinals before squaring off against crosstown rival UCLA for the third time in their semifinal bout. It took double overtime to decide that semi, with USC pushing past the Bruins in the second OT to win it 80-70 and earn a place in the conference tournament final for the third time in program history. Up against top-seeded and No. 2 ranked Stanford, USC broke a tie to lead it early in the second quarter and stayed out ahead the rest of the way with a commanding performance from the Trojans in a 74-61 championship victory. McKenzie Forbes, who scored 26 points for USC in the final, was named the Pac-12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player, and JuJu Watkins, who had 33 for USC in the semifinal vs. UCLA, was named to the Pac-12 All-Tournament Team.
NOTABLE:
- JR Rayah Marshall recorded double-doubles in all three games at the tourney, up to 12 double-doubles this season and with 32 in her USC career to rank No. 8 all-time.
- Marshall has now recorded double-digit rebounds in the last five games.
- Marshall is now stands along in the USC record books at No. 10 all-time in career rebounds with 841.
- GS Kaitlyn Davis served up a season-high five assists.
- With 59 points across the three games, FR JuJu Watkins has now scored the second most points in a single season at USC with 810, behind Cheryl Miller's record of 814 in 1985-86.
- Watkins is now four points away from the No. 3 mark nationally in total points by a D1 true freshman.
- Watkins recorded her seventh double-double as a Trojans in USC's win over UCLA.
- Also vs. UCLA, GS Kaitlyn Davis recorded a season-high 16 rebounds — two off her career high set while at Columbia.
- USC had lost all four previous meetings with UCLA at the Pac-12 Tournament (2022, 2020, 2010, 2008).
- It was the third Pac-12 Tournament title game appearance for HC Lindsay Gottlieb, who is the first coach to ever lead two different Pac-12 programs to the title game (led Cal to 2012 & 2015 title games).
- USC has now won two Pac-12 Tournament titles (2014 & 2024), making the Trojans just the third team to win multiple conference tournament titles (Stanford & Oregon).
- The last time USC beat Stanford twice in a season was a three-win performance in 1986-87.
- USC has now recorded five wins over top-10 ranked opponents this season — the most such wins in a single season since also winning five in 1984-85.
WE GOT GOTTLIEB
Just before her team was to earn its first No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament since 1986, USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb was listed among 10 other semifinalists for the Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year award. In her third season at USC, Gottlieb has guided her No. 3 Women of Troy to their highest national ranking since 1986, coming off USC's run to the Pac-12 Tournament Championship. That run included wins over two top-10 opponents — No. 7 UCLA and No. 2 Stanford — to give USC its most wins over top-10 opponents since 1985-86 with five such victories. Also this season, the Trojans have captured the most wins (26) in a season since 1993-94.
BEATING THE BRUINS
In front of record-setting, standing-room only crowd at Galen Center No. 9/6 USC handed No. 2 UCLA its first loss of the season, beating the rival Bruins 73-65 on Jan. 14. JuJu Watkins churned out 32 points to help USC avenge its only loss of the season. The win also marked the Trojans' second victory over a top-10 opponent this season — a feat last achieved in 1993-94. USC's defense forced 15 turnovers out of the Bruins in the first half of action as the Trojans built out a 34-19 lead at the break, turning a one-point game into a double-digit lead with a 15-0 rally in the second quarter. USC was shooting 36.4 percent by halftime to outpace UCLA's 30.4 percent, and the teams were even on the boards 18-18 and from 3-point range at 3-of-11 each. USC's Watkins and McKenzie Forbes had combined for 27 of USC's 34 first-half points. USC would stay out in front, shrugging off a 9-0 UCLA run to allow the Bruins to get no closer than four points away as the Trojans wrapped up a 73-65 victory over their rivals. USC finished up shooting 41.5 percent from the floor to UCLA's final 40 percent overall. The Bruins had a 34-33 edge on the boards but committed 22 turnovers to USC's 17. From the free-throw line, USC went 24-of 32, and UCLA was 17-of-21. Watkins led the way with her third double-double, netting 32 points with 10 rebounds and setting a USC record with a 16-of-16 effort from the free-throw line. Forbes also finished in double digits with 18 points for the Trojan cause, and Kayla Padilla added 13.
NOTABLE:
- USC's standing-room only crowd of 10,657 marked a new attendance record for any game at Galen Center.
- This was the first-ever regular-season basketball game between top-10 teams held at Galen Center.
- It was just the second time since 1999-00 that USC beat an undefeated team with at least 14 wins
[last: vs. #7 UCLA (70-68 in 2OT) on 1/17/2020 when the Bruins were 16-0]
- USC's win snapped UCLA's nine-game winning streak against the Trojans.
- USC has now won 17 straight home games.
- USC held UCLA to a season-low 19 points in the first half — the fewest by the Bruins in a half since 1/14/12.
- UCLA shot a season-low 18.1% (4-22) from 3-point range.
- With 32 points, Watkins has led USC in scoring in every game she's played this season (13 games).
- Watkins' 32 points is the most any player has scored against UCLA in a game this season.
- With 10 rebounds, Watkins recorded her third double-double of her USC career.
- In going 16-of-16 from the free-throw line, Watkins set a new USC record.
- Watkins' 16 FT made ties for the third most in a single game in USC history.
- With three steals, Bigby tied her career high.
- With three steals, Padilla tied her season high.
- USC was missing Marshall and Gayles due to illness.
TOP-10 TAKEDOWN
USC notched its first season-opening win over a ranked opponent since 1990 with an upset victory over No. 7 Ohio State at the Hall of Fame Series at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. That 1990 upset win came over a No. 7 Texas team, with Trojan great Lisa Leslie delivering 30 points in her freshman debut at USC. Fitting, then, that today's statement win by the Women of Troy featured a 32-point effort from true freshman JuJu Watkins. Leslie and Watkins both were named Gatorade National Players of the Year as seniors in high school before signing on to USC. Up 46-28 at halftime, USC was shooting 51.4 percent from the floor in those first 20 minutes, with Watkins holding 16 points and Rayah Marshall already at a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds by the break. Ohio State, which made just two field foals in the second quarter while winding up at 29.6 percent shooting the first half. The Buckeyes would bounce back, however, benefitting from a swaying foul count and almost matching USC's second-quarter effort in outscoring USC 30-10 in the third. A stalwart effort from the Trojans would pull them back ahead in the fourth, fending off the No. 7 Buckeyes to win the day in Vegas. USC finished out the game shooting 51 percent overall to outpace Ohio State's 40-percent effort. USC also outrebounded the Buckeyes 43-28. Led by freshman Watkins' game-high 32 points, USC also saw Marshall net her 21st career double-double with a final 18 points and 17 rebounds. Marshall also extended her impressive blocks streak to 52 straight games with two more tallied today, and added a career-high six steals. Also hitting double digits for the Trojans was McKenzie Forbes with 11 while Kaitlyn Davis added nine rebounds for USC and Watkins dished out five assists. Ohio State was paced by Jacy Sheldon's 28 points along with 16 from Taylor Thierry.
NOTABLE:
- USC's win over No. 7 Ohio State was its first season-opening victory over a ranked opponent since 1990, when a No. 25 USC team upset No. 7 Texas 88-77 (11/25/90).
- With 32 points, Watkins beat Lisa Leslie's 30-point effort in her first game as a USC freshman — recorded in that aforementioned 1990 season opener.
- Watkins' 32 points scored was the most by a USC (or any Pac-12) freshman since Alissa Pili (32 points) in 2020.
- Only two other USC freshmen have scored more than 32 points in a game — Cheryl Miller (39 points vs. Northwestern, 11/30/82) and Lisa Leslie (33 points at Cal, 1/17/91).
- Marshall recorded her 21st career double-double with 18 points and 17 rebounds.
- With two blocks, Marshall extended her streak to 52 straight games with at least one block.
- Marshall also recorded a career-high six steals.
- Five players scored their first points as Trojans — Watkins (32 points), Forbes (11), Padilla (8), Davis (4) and Samuels (2).
- USC is now 4-4 all-time against Ohio State.
- USC's last win over a top-10 opponent had been a 55-46 victory over No. 2 Stanford last season (1/13/23).
TOP TALENT
For just the second time in program history, USC welcomed the Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year to Troy, with the addition of freshman JuJu Watkins. Watkins follows in the footsteps of another Los Angeles native, Lisa Leslie, a Trojan great who was the Gatorade Player of the Year in 1990 on her way into USC. Watkins picked up All-Pac-12 Preseason Honorable Mention, and has been named to the Naismith and Wooden watch lists. Recently, the phenom was named to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Top 10 List as well as the Wade Watch and Naismith Midseason Watch List. She's also a semifinalist for the prestigious Sullivan Award.
VETERAN STATUS
In addition to Marshall, USC boasts a strong group of returners from last season's success. Now a senior, guard Kayla Williams picked up 2023 Pac-12 All-Defensive Honorable Mention, having started all 31 games as a reliable backcourt defender for the team. Also back for more in 2023-24 is redshirt sophomore guard Taylor Bigby, who brings length and sharpshooting to the perimeter, where fifth-year guard India Otto also is a proven threat. Now with two years under her belt at USC, 6-6 center Clarice Akunwafo is back to help man the paint as a junior.
DEPTH CHARGE
Freshman Malia Samuels comes into the season having been named Washington's 2022 3A Player of the Year, adding point guard savvy and defensive talents to the squad. USC's guard depth is intensified as redshirt sophomore guard Dominique Darius steps on the court this season for her first action as a Trojan following her midseason transfer from UCLA. And after redshirting her first season, guard Aaliyah Gayles made her Trojan debut as well this year.
GRAD GREATS
With a proven eye for talent, Lindsay Gottlieb added four graduate transfers to the 2023-24 Trojan roster. Three — Kaitlyn Davis, McKenzie Forbes and Kayla Padilla — were standouts in the Ivy League, and one — Roxane Makolo — boasts international experience with Team Canada. A proven point guard in her time at Penn, Padilla joins the Trojans as a three-time All-Ivy First Team selection. Her speed and basketball IQ will be an asset to the team for the upcoming season. Marshall and Akunwafo will be supported in the paint with Columbia forward Davis, whose strength and agility make her extremely difficult to defend. With depth comes versatility as Forbes returns to her home state after three strong years at Harvard, where she earned 2022 All-Ivy Second Team honors.
WNBA DRAFT DOUBLE
USC grad students Kadi Sissoko and Okako Adika were picked back-to-back in the 2023 WNBA Draft Third Round as the 29th and 30th overall players chosen, respectively. A 6-2 forward from Paris, France, Sissoko was the Trojans' top scorer season and was selected by the Phoenix Mercury. A full-time starter from Holster, Denmark, Adika — a 6-0 guard — was a defensive lock who came up big for the Trojans and has been picked by the New York Liberty. It was the first time since 2012 and just the third time ever that USC has had two players selected in a WNBA Draft. They followed 2012 picks for Jacki Gemelos and Briana Gilbreath, and 1997 draftees Pam McGee and Tina Thompson. Adika was waived for the 2023 season, while Sissoko played the full season with the Mercury. Sissoko is currently playing in France with Flammes Carolo Basket Ardennes
LAST SEASON
During the 2022-23 season, the USC women went 11-7 in conference play and finished 21-10 overall. Succeeding in arguably one of the most competitive conferences, the Women of Troy were able to earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014, when USC won the Pac-12 Tournament title. USC's 2023 NCAA appearance marked its first at-large bid into the tourney since 2006. The Trojan defense set a program record last season in holding opponents to just 35.4 percent shooting from the floor. •
SIGNED!
Six standouts from six different states have signed on to join head coach Lindsay Gottlieb's Women of Troy for 2024, including the top player out of California for the second straight year. Three members of USC's incoming class — Kennedy Smith, Kayley Heckel and Avery Howell — have been named to the Jersey Mike's Naismith Girl's High School Player of the Year Watch List. As of Nov. 21, ESPN ranked USC's incoming 2024 class as No. 1 in the nation.
KENNEDY SMITH | 6-1 G | Etiwanda, Calif. (Etiwanda HS)
Gatorade California Player of the Year | McDonald's All-American | Jordan Brand Classic | Naismith Trophy Semifinalist | LA Times Player of the Year
Kennedy Smith stands as the No. 6 recruit in the nation as she turns to a career as a Trojan. An all-state first-teamer as a junior, Smith was also selected to the 2023 Los Angeles Times All-Star Team and was a Nike EYBL Champion with CalSparks. She has helped Etiwanda to a 2023 Open Division State Championship and the 2022 Southern Section title and also was named the 2023 Press Enterprise Inland Empire Girls Basketball Player of the Year.
KAYLEIGH HECKEL | 5-9 PG | Port Chester, N.Y. (Long Island Lutheran HS)
McDonald's All-American | Jordan Brand Classic | Naismith Trophy Midseason Team
Already with 2,000 points in her prep career, Kayleigh Heckel helped lead her high school squad to a national runner-up finish in her junior season and was named the MaxPreps New York Player of the Year. Ranked No. 27 in the nation overall, she also is a 2022 Nike TOC Champion and plays AAU ball with Exodus NYC.
RIAN FORESTIER | 5-11 G | San Antonio, Texas (Brandeis HS)
Ranked as the top guard in Texas, Rian Forestier is a noted 3-point threat and a regular on all-state, all-region and all-district honor rolls. District MVP as a junior, she was the All-Area and All-District Newcomer of the Year as a freshman at Brandeis High in San Antonio. Also committed to community service, Forestier founded a non-profit called 4WARD, which donates new basketball shoes to middle school girls in the San Antonio region.
AVERY HOWELL | 6-0 G | Boise, Idaho (Boise HS)
Gatorade Idaho State Player of the Year | McDonald's All-American | Naismith Trophy Midseason Team
The 2023 and 2024 Gatorade Idaho Player of the Year, Avery Howell stands ranked No. 23 in the nation and was a participant in the Wooten Top 150. Also an invitee to the Canadian National Team's training camp in 2023, Howell is a highly touted guard who set single-season records in points and rebounds in her junior season at Boise High, which finished third at the 2023 state championships. She participate in the Adidas 3SSB Eurocamp and was one of the top scorers and rebounders on the Adidas Circuit in the summer.
LAURA WILLIAMS | 6-1 F | Fairfax, Va. (St. Paul VI Catholic HS)
The top-ranked player in Virginia, Laura Williams has helped St. Paul VI continue its run of state titles. A top-100 player in ESPN's 2024 class, Williams averaged 11.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per game with Fairfax Stars AAU on the 2023 summer Nike EYBL circuit soon after earning First Team All-State honors.
VIVIAN IWUCHUKWU | 6-3 F | Montverde, Fla. (Montverde Academy)
Ranked as the No. 47 recruit in the nation by ESPNW, Iwuchukwu helped Montverde to a 26-1 record last season, claiming back-to-back GEICO High School Nationals titles in her sophomore and junior years. The sister of current USC men's player, Vince, she is a 2022 Adidas Circuit runner-up and was named to the 2023 Nike EYBL All-Tournament Team, playing club for Essence AAU. •
As it grips its highest national ranking since 1986, the No. 3 USC women's basketball team has also secured its first No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament since 1986 as the Trojans set up to host First and Second Round action at Galen Center. Joining top-seeded USC (26-5) for NCAA competition in Los Angeles this week are No. 16 seed Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (23-8), [8] Kansas (19-12) and [9] Michigan (20-13). On Saturday (March 23), the Wildcats and Wolverines face off in their first-round clash at 11 a.m. PT followed by a 1:30 p.m. meeting between the Trojans and Islanders. Winners move on to the NCAA Second Round on Monday (March 25), with that tip time still to be determined.
NCAA NOTES
• USC is 29-15 in the NCAA Tournament, with two NCAA title victories (1983 and 1984).
• This is the Trojans' 18th trip to the NCAA Tournament.
• USC's No. 1 seed in 2024 is its fifth top seed all-time, last earned in 1986.
• USC's is making back-to-back NCAA appearances for the first time since 2006.
• USC was a No. 8 seed in the 2023 NCAA tourney, falling in the first round to South Dakota State in overtime 62-57 in Blacksburg, Va.
• The last time USC earned an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament was 2014 after winning USC's first Pac-12 Tournament championship.
• Head coach Lindsay Gottlieb has led three different programs to the NCAA Tournament — UC Santa Barbara (2009), California (seven appearances in eight seasons) and USC (2023 and 2024).
• USC has played nine other teams in the 68-team field of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, posting a 13-4 record against those opponents this season [No. 2 seed Stanford (2-0); No. 2 seed UCLA (12-1), No. 2 seed Ohio State (1-0), No. 3 seed Oregon State (2-0), No. 5 seed Colorado (1-1), No. 5 seed Utah (0-2), No. 11 seed Arizona (3-0), No. 12 seed FGCU (1-0) and No. 13 seed UC Irvine (1-0].
• USC is one of seven Pac-12 teams in this year's NCAA bracket.
• This is the first time USC has hosted NCAA women's basketball competition since 2009 (Trojans did not make the tournament that year.
• The last time USC has played in and hosted NCAA competition was 1994.
FOLLOW ALONG
ESPN will be televising the NCAA First- and Second-Round games at Galen Center, with Mary Murphy and Elise Woodward on the calls. Saturday's USC game will be live on KABC 790 and streamed at USCTrojans.com/listen and the USC Trojans GameDay app with Jordan Moore on the call.
IN THE POLLS
USC's No. 21 preseason national ranking marked the fourth time the Trojans have appeared in preseason AP and USA Today polls since 2005. It was the highest preseason ranking for USC in that span, following No. 23 in 2011, No. 22 and 2006 and No. 24 (AP) and No. 22 (USA Today) in 2005. In the final AP poll (March 18), USC ranks No. 3 in the nation — matching its highest ranking since 1986. Also this week, USC has shifted to No. 3 in the latest USA Today Coaches Poll (released March 19).
QUICK HITS
• Now 26-5 overall, USC has recorded its most wins since going 26-4 in 1993-94 under head coach Cheryl Miller.
• Now ranked No. 3 in the national AP poll, USC holds its highest ranking since being No. 3 in the final 1986 poll.
• USC's 23 regular-season wins is its most such victories since 1993-94.
• USC's No. 2 seed for the Pac-12 Tournament was its highest-ever seeding for the tourney.
• HC Lindsay Gottlieb is the first coach to ever lead two different Pac-12 programs to the conference title game — she led Cal to 2012 & 2015 title games and won 2024 Pac-12 championship with USC.
• At 13-5 in Pac-12 play, USC collected its most conference wins in a season since 1996-97.
• USC finished Pac-12 play with a program record of six straight conference road wins.
• With its 10-0 start to this season, USC recorded back-to-back 9-0 starts for just the second time in program history, going back to the 1983-84 (10-0) and 1984-85 (10-0) seasons.
• With regular-season wins over then-No. 7 Ohio State, No. 2 UCLA and at No. 4 Stanford, USC recorded three wins over top-10 opponents during the regular season for the first time since 1985-86.
• USC's seven straight Pac-12 wins was its longest single-season conference win streak since 2004-05.
• USC was ranked in the nation's top 10 for 10 straight weeks in AP polls from Nov. 13, 2023-Feb. 12, 2024.
• In all, USC has been ranked as a top-10 team in all but two weeks of competition this season.
• USC was ranked No. 6 in the national AP poll for five straight weeks before moving to No. 9 on Jan. 1 following the Trojans' loss at No. 2 UCLA.
• USC is 8-4 against teams currently ranked in the NET top-25.
• Rayah Marshall has taken over from Paula McGee as USC No. 3 all-time blocks leader (228 career blocks).
• JuJu Watkins has become the sixth USC player ever to be named a First Team All-American (joining Cheryl Miller, Pam McGee, Paula McGee, Lisa Leslie and Tina Thompson).
• Her 51-point game at Stanford set a USC record and is the most by any DI player in the nation this season.
• Watkins' 13 games of 30-plus points is a USC all-time record (men's and women's) in a season and beats out Iowa's Caitlin Clark previous record of 12 for the most such games for a freshman over the last 25 seasons.
• Watkins' 42 points vs. Colorado on Feb. 23 is the most points ever scored by a USC basketball player (male or female) at Galen Center.
• Watkins now ranks No. 4 all-time in single-season scoring by a true freshman in the nation (810 points).
• McKenzie Forbes has hit at least one 3-pointer in all but three games this season.
• Both McKenzie Forbes and Kayla Williams scored their 1,000th career points during this season.
• Kayla Padilla scored her 1,500th career point during this season.
• USC is 12-0 this season when holding opponents under 60 points and is 19-0 when USC scores 70 or more.
• Eight players earned Dean's List honors with Fall GPAs of 3.5 or higher: Clarice Akunwafo, Taylor Bigby, Kaitlyn Davis, Roxane Makolo, Kayla Padilla, Malia Samuels, JuJu Watkins and Kayla Williams.
30-SOMETHING
With her 42-point effort at Oregon, JuJu Watkins set a new USC record in marking her 11th 30-plus-point game of the season — beating the all-time single-season record of 10 held by Cheryl Miller. She had stolen the freshman-season record from Lisa Leslie and Pam McGee with her fourth such outing just six games into her Trojan career. Back-to-back 30-point efforts vs. Cal Poly and vs. San Diego followed a 31-point outing vs. Penn State on Nov. 22, giving Watkins three consecutive 30-point games. That tied another USC record set by Miller, who also had three straight 30-point outings during her junior 1984-85 season. Her USC record-breaking 51 points scored at Stanford stands as the most points scored by a D1 player in a game this season. With 27.0 points per game, Watkins ranks No. 2 in the nation in scoring, and her USC-record 30-plus outings tally now stands at 13 this season — most in a season by any USC basketball player, male or female.
FORBES LISTED
McKenzie Forbes, who was a two-time Pac-12 Freshman of the Week while playing at Cal years ago, secured her first Pac-12 Player of the Week honors and also locked up a selection as an Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week after tallying a season-high 17 points vs. Cal State Fullerton and then more than doubling that effort with a career-high 36 points in an 85-77 road win at Long Beach State. Her 36 points was the most scored in a game by a Trojan since Mariya Moore scored 36 in 2019. Also against the Beach, Forbes made a career-high 13 free throws on a career-high 16 attempts and collected a season-high seven rebounds. She scored in double figures six straight games from 11/28-12/30. Recently, Forbes picked up another set of national accolades with a spot on the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Top 10 List. An All-Pac-12 Team honoree and the Pac-12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player, she's hit at least one 3-pointer in all but three of USC's games this season.
BLOCK LOCK
Defense was one of USC's strengths last season with the help of Rayah Marshall, who earned 2023 All-Pac12 Team honors as she led the conference in total rebounds with 322 and was second in the nation with 98 blocks as a sophomore. Now a junior and coming off a summer playing for the USA in the FIBA Women's AmeriCup, Marshall's shot blocking and rebounding ability coupled with her newfound leadership has made her an essential role player for the Women of Troy as she stands tall in the paint as a center. After tacking up her 21st career double-double in USC's season opener, Marshall also added to her impressive blocks streak, which extended to 53 straight games until being interrupted on Nov. 13. As of March 19, she ranks No. 23 in the nation with a mark of 2.11 blocks per game, and she has recorded at least one block in all but three games in which she's played this season. After adding two blocks to her tally on Jan. 5, Marshall took over as USC's No. 3 all-time shot blocker — a spot that had been held by Trojan great Paula McGee. Marshall was recently named to the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List.
PAC-12 CHAMPS
USC claimed its second Pac-12 Tournament championship a decade after winning its first, having earned its highest-ever seeding as the No. 2 seed in the 2024 bracket. The Trojans claimed their third win of the season over Arizona with a 65-62 victory in the quarterfinals before squaring off against crosstown rival UCLA for the third time in their semifinal bout. It took double overtime to decide that semi, with USC pushing past the Bruins in the second OT to win it 80-70 and earn a place in the conference tournament final for the third time in program history. Up against top-seeded and No. 2 ranked Stanford, USC broke a tie to lead it early in the second quarter and stayed out ahead the rest of the way with a commanding performance from the Trojans in a 74-61 championship victory. McKenzie Forbes, who scored 26 points for USC in the final, was named the Pac-12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player, and JuJu Watkins, who had 33 for USC in the semifinal vs. UCLA, was named to the Pac-12 All-Tournament Team.
NOTABLE:
- JR Rayah Marshall recorded double-doubles in all three games at the tourney, up to 12 double-doubles this season and with 32 in her USC career to rank No. 8 all-time.
- Marshall has now recorded double-digit rebounds in the last five games.
- Marshall is now stands along in the USC record books at No. 10 all-time in career rebounds with 841.
- GS Kaitlyn Davis served up a season-high five assists.
- With 59 points across the three games, FR JuJu Watkins has now scored the second most points in a single season at USC with 810, behind Cheryl Miller's record of 814 in 1985-86.
- Watkins is now four points away from the No. 3 mark nationally in total points by a D1 true freshman.
- Watkins recorded her seventh double-double as a Trojans in USC's win over UCLA.
- Also vs. UCLA, GS Kaitlyn Davis recorded a season-high 16 rebounds — two off her career high set while at Columbia.
- USC had lost all four previous meetings with UCLA at the Pac-12 Tournament (2022, 2020, 2010, 2008).
- It was the third Pac-12 Tournament title game appearance for HC Lindsay Gottlieb, who is the first coach to ever lead two different Pac-12 programs to the title game (led Cal to 2012 & 2015 title games).
- USC has now won two Pac-12 Tournament titles (2014 & 2024), making the Trojans just the third team to win multiple conference tournament titles (Stanford & Oregon).
- The last time USC beat Stanford twice in a season was a three-win performance in 1986-87.
- USC has now recorded five wins over top-10 ranked opponents this season — the most such wins in a single season since also winning five in 1984-85.
WE GOT GOTTLIEB
Just before her team was to earn its first No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament since 1986, USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb was listed among 10 other semifinalists for the Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year award. In her third season at USC, Gottlieb has guided her No. 3 Women of Troy to their highest national ranking since 1986, coming off USC's run to the Pac-12 Tournament Championship. That run included wins over two top-10 opponents — No. 7 UCLA and No. 2 Stanford — to give USC its most wins over top-10 opponents since 1985-86 with five such victories. Also this season, the Trojans have captured the most wins (26) in a season since 1993-94.
BEATING THE BRUINS
In front of record-setting, standing-room only crowd at Galen Center No. 9/6 USC handed No. 2 UCLA its first loss of the season, beating the rival Bruins 73-65 on Jan. 14. JuJu Watkins churned out 32 points to help USC avenge its only loss of the season. The win also marked the Trojans' second victory over a top-10 opponent this season — a feat last achieved in 1993-94. USC's defense forced 15 turnovers out of the Bruins in the first half of action as the Trojans built out a 34-19 lead at the break, turning a one-point game into a double-digit lead with a 15-0 rally in the second quarter. USC was shooting 36.4 percent by halftime to outpace UCLA's 30.4 percent, and the teams were even on the boards 18-18 and from 3-point range at 3-of-11 each. USC's Watkins and McKenzie Forbes had combined for 27 of USC's 34 first-half points. USC would stay out in front, shrugging off a 9-0 UCLA run to allow the Bruins to get no closer than four points away as the Trojans wrapped up a 73-65 victory over their rivals. USC finished up shooting 41.5 percent from the floor to UCLA's final 40 percent overall. The Bruins had a 34-33 edge on the boards but committed 22 turnovers to USC's 17. From the free-throw line, USC went 24-of 32, and UCLA was 17-of-21. Watkins led the way with her third double-double, netting 32 points with 10 rebounds and setting a USC record with a 16-of-16 effort from the free-throw line. Forbes also finished in double digits with 18 points for the Trojan cause, and Kayla Padilla added 13.
NOTABLE:
- USC's standing-room only crowd of 10,657 marked a new attendance record for any game at Galen Center.
- This was the first-ever regular-season basketball game between top-10 teams held at Galen Center.
- It was just the second time since 1999-00 that USC beat an undefeated team with at least 14 wins
[last: vs. #7 UCLA (70-68 in 2OT) on 1/17/2020 when the Bruins were 16-0]
- USC's win snapped UCLA's nine-game winning streak against the Trojans.
- USC has now won 17 straight home games.
- USC held UCLA to a season-low 19 points in the first half — the fewest by the Bruins in a half since 1/14/12.
- UCLA shot a season-low 18.1% (4-22) from 3-point range.
- With 32 points, Watkins has led USC in scoring in every game she's played this season (13 games).
- Watkins' 32 points is the most any player has scored against UCLA in a game this season.
- With 10 rebounds, Watkins recorded her third double-double of her USC career.
- In going 16-of-16 from the free-throw line, Watkins set a new USC record.
- Watkins' 16 FT made ties for the third most in a single game in USC history.
- With three steals, Bigby tied her career high.
- With three steals, Padilla tied her season high.
- USC was missing Marshall and Gayles due to illness.
TOP-10 TAKEDOWN
USC notched its first season-opening win over a ranked opponent since 1990 with an upset victory over No. 7 Ohio State at the Hall of Fame Series at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. That 1990 upset win came over a No. 7 Texas team, with Trojan great Lisa Leslie delivering 30 points in her freshman debut at USC. Fitting, then, that today's statement win by the Women of Troy featured a 32-point effort from true freshman JuJu Watkins. Leslie and Watkins both were named Gatorade National Players of the Year as seniors in high school before signing on to USC. Up 46-28 at halftime, USC was shooting 51.4 percent from the floor in those first 20 minutes, with Watkins holding 16 points and Rayah Marshall already at a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds by the break. Ohio State, which made just two field foals in the second quarter while winding up at 29.6 percent shooting the first half. The Buckeyes would bounce back, however, benefitting from a swaying foul count and almost matching USC's second-quarter effort in outscoring USC 30-10 in the third. A stalwart effort from the Trojans would pull them back ahead in the fourth, fending off the No. 7 Buckeyes to win the day in Vegas. USC finished out the game shooting 51 percent overall to outpace Ohio State's 40-percent effort. USC also outrebounded the Buckeyes 43-28. Led by freshman Watkins' game-high 32 points, USC also saw Marshall net her 21st career double-double with a final 18 points and 17 rebounds. Marshall also extended her impressive blocks streak to 52 straight games with two more tallied today, and added a career-high six steals. Also hitting double digits for the Trojans was McKenzie Forbes with 11 while Kaitlyn Davis added nine rebounds for USC and Watkins dished out five assists. Ohio State was paced by Jacy Sheldon's 28 points along with 16 from Taylor Thierry.
NOTABLE:
- USC's win over No. 7 Ohio State was its first season-opening victory over a ranked opponent since 1990, when a No. 25 USC team upset No. 7 Texas 88-77 (11/25/90).
- With 32 points, Watkins beat Lisa Leslie's 30-point effort in her first game as a USC freshman — recorded in that aforementioned 1990 season opener.
- Watkins' 32 points scored was the most by a USC (or any Pac-12) freshman since Alissa Pili (32 points) in 2020.
- Only two other USC freshmen have scored more than 32 points in a game — Cheryl Miller (39 points vs. Northwestern, 11/30/82) and Lisa Leslie (33 points at Cal, 1/17/91).
- Marshall recorded her 21st career double-double with 18 points and 17 rebounds.
- With two blocks, Marshall extended her streak to 52 straight games with at least one block.
- Marshall also recorded a career-high six steals.
- Five players scored their first points as Trojans — Watkins (32 points), Forbes (11), Padilla (8), Davis (4) and Samuels (2).
- USC is now 4-4 all-time against Ohio State.
- USC's last win over a top-10 opponent had been a 55-46 victory over No. 2 Stanford last season (1/13/23).
TOP TALENT
For just the second time in program history, USC welcomed the Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year to Troy, with the addition of freshman JuJu Watkins. Watkins follows in the footsteps of another Los Angeles native, Lisa Leslie, a Trojan great who was the Gatorade Player of the Year in 1990 on her way into USC. Watkins picked up All-Pac-12 Preseason Honorable Mention, and has been named to the Naismith and Wooden watch lists. Recently, the phenom was named to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Top 10 List as well as the Wade Watch and Naismith Midseason Watch List. She's also a semifinalist for the prestigious Sullivan Award.
VETERAN STATUS
In addition to Marshall, USC boasts a strong group of returners from last season's success. Now a senior, guard Kayla Williams picked up 2023 Pac-12 All-Defensive Honorable Mention, having started all 31 games as a reliable backcourt defender for the team. Also back for more in 2023-24 is redshirt sophomore guard Taylor Bigby, who brings length and sharpshooting to the perimeter, where fifth-year guard India Otto also is a proven threat. Now with two years under her belt at USC, 6-6 center Clarice Akunwafo is back to help man the paint as a junior.
DEPTH CHARGE
Freshman Malia Samuels comes into the season having been named Washington's 2022 3A Player of the Year, adding point guard savvy and defensive talents to the squad. USC's guard depth is intensified as redshirt sophomore guard Dominique Darius steps on the court this season for her first action as a Trojan following her midseason transfer from UCLA. And after redshirting her first season, guard Aaliyah Gayles made her Trojan debut as well this year.
GRAD GREATS
With a proven eye for talent, Lindsay Gottlieb added four graduate transfers to the 2023-24 Trojan roster. Three — Kaitlyn Davis, McKenzie Forbes and Kayla Padilla — were standouts in the Ivy League, and one — Roxane Makolo — boasts international experience with Team Canada. A proven point guard in her time at Penn, Padilla joins the Trojans as a three-time All-Ivy First Team selection. Her speed and basketball IQ will be an asset to the team for the upcoming season. Marshall and Akunwafo will be supported in the paint with Columbia forward Davis, whose strength and agility make her extremely difficult to defend. With depth comes versatility as Forbes returns to her home state after three strong years at Harvard, where she earned 2022 All-Ivy Second Team honors.
WNBA DRAFT DOUBLE
USC grad students Kadi Sissoko and Okako Adika were picked back-to-back in the 2023 WNBA Draft Third Round as the 29th and 30th overall players chosen, respectively. A 6-2 forward from Paris, France, Sissoko was the Trojans' top scorer season and was selected by the Phoenix Mercury. A full-time starter from Holster, Denmark, Adika — a 6-0 guard — was a defensive lock who came up big for the Trojans and has been picked by the New York Liberty. It was the first time since 2012 and just the third time ever that USC has had two players selected in a WNBA Draft. They followed 2012 picks for Jacki Gemelos and Briana Gilbreath, and 1997 draftees Pam McGee and Tina Thompson. Adika was waived for the 2023 season, while Sissoko played the full season with the Mercury. Sissoko is currently playing in France with Flammes Carolo Basket Ardennes
LAST SEASON
During the 2022-23 season, the USC women went 11-7 in conference play and finished 21-10 overall. Succeeding in arguably one of the most competitive conferences, the Women of Troy were able to earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014, when USC won the Pac-12 Tournament title. USC's 2023 NCAA appearance marked its first at-large bid into the tourney since 2006. The Trojan defense set a program record last season in holding opponents to just 35.4 percent shooting from the floor. •
SIGNED!
Six standouts from six different states have signed on to join head coach Lindsay Gottlieb's Women of Troy for 2024, including the top player out of California for the second straight year. Three members of USC's incoming class — Kennedy Smith, Kayley Heckel and Avery Howell — have been named to the Jersey Mike's Naismith Girl's High School Player of the Year Watch List. As of Nov. 21, ESPN ranked USC's incoming 2024 class as No. 1 in the nation.
KENNEDY SMITH | 6-1 G | Etiwanda, Calif. (Etiwanda HS)
Gatorade California Player of the Year | McDonald's All-American | Jordan Brand Classic | Naismith Trophy Semifinalist | LA Times Player of the Year
Kennedy Smith stands as the No. 6 recruit in the nation as she turns to a career as a Trojan. An all-state first-teamer as a junior, Smith was also selected to the 2023 Los Angeles Times All-Star Team and was a Nike EYBL Champion with CalSparks. She has helped Etiwanda to a 2023 Open Division State Championship and the 2022 Southern Section title and also was named the 2023 Press Enterprise Inland Empire Girls Basketball Player of the Year.
KAYLEIGH HECKEL | 5-9 PG | Port Chester, N.Y. (Long Island Lutheran HS)
McDonald's All-American | Jordan Brand Classic | Naismith Trophy Midseason Team
Already with 2,000 points in her prep career, Kayleigh Heckel helped lead her high school squad to a national runner-up finish in her junior season and was named the MaxPreps New York Player of the Year. Ranked No. 27 in the nation overall, she also is a 2022 Nike TOC Champion and plays AAU ball with Exodus NYC.
RIAN FORESTIER | 5-11 G | San Antonio, Texas (Brandeis HS)
Ranked as the top guard in Texas, Rian Forestier is a noted 3-point threat and a regular on all-state, all-region and all-district honor rolls. District MVP as a junior, she was the All-Area and All-District Newcomer of the Year as a freshman at Brandeis High in San Antonio. Also committed to community service, Forestier founded a non-profit called 4WARD, which donates new basketball shoes to middle school girls in the San Antonio region.
AVERY HOWELL | 6-0 G | Boise, Idaho (Boise HS)
Gatorade Idaho State Player of the Year | McDonald's All-American | Naismith Trophy Midseason Team
The 2023 and 2024 Gatorade Idaho Player of the Year, Avery Howell stands ranked No. 23 in the nation and was a participant in the Wooten Top 150. Also an invitee to the Canadian National Team's training camp in 2023, Howell is a highly touted guard who set single-season records in points and rebounds in her junior season at Boise High, which finished third at the 2023 state championships. She participate in the Adidas 3SSB Eurocamp and was one of the top scorers and rebounders on the Adidas Circuit in the summer.
LAURA WILLIAMS | 6-1 F | Fairfax, Va. (St. Paul VI Catholic HS)
The top-ranked player in Virginia, Laura Williams has helped St. Paul VI continue its run of state titles. A top-100 player in ESPN's 2024 class, Williams averaged 11.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per game with Fairfax Stars AAU on the 2023 summer Nike EYBL circuit soon after earning First Team All-State honors.
VIVIAN IWUCHUKWU | 6-3 F | Montverde, Fla. (Montverde Academy)
Ranked as the No. 47 recruit in the nation by ESPNW, Iwuchukwu helped Montverde to a 26-1 record last season, claiming back-to-back GEICO High School Nationals titles in her sophomore and junior years. The sister of current USC men's player, Vince, she is a 2022 Adidas Circuit runner-up and was named to the 2023 Nike EYBL All-Tournament Team, playing club for Essence AAU. •
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
USC WBB Defeats Kansas State in Sweet 16, Advances to Elite Eight | Trojan Press Conference
Saturday, March 29
