Sunday, January 12
Los Angeles, Calif.
5:00 p.m.
USC
16-1,6-0Big Ten
95
vs
73
Penn State
9-8,0-6Big Ten
1
2
3
4
F
Penn St.
18
13
21
21
73
Southern California
27
29
20
19
95
Team Stats
PSU
USC
FG%
.380
.521
3FG%
.250
.240
FT%
.727
.682
RB
44
38
TO
21
11
STL
4
13
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
35
FGM
13
3FGM
2
FTM
7
Pts
28
FGM
12
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
9
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
6
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
C/F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballPhoto by: Bryce Dechert
No. 4 USC Women’s Basketball Posts 95-73 Win Over Penn State
January 12, 2025 | Women's Basketball
JuJu Watkins and Kiki Iriafen combined for 63 points in an effective effort by the Trojans for 12th straight win.
LOS ANGELES — JuJu Watkins and Kiki Iriafen combined for 63 points to help pace the No. 4 USC women's basketball team to a 95-73 win over visiting Penn State tonight at Galen Center. Watkins pinned up a double-double for the Trojan cause as USC tacked up its 12th straight win to improve to 16-1 overall and 6-0 in Big Ten play. The Lady Lions are now 9-8, 0-6.
USC topped off the first half on an 18-0 scoring run that ballooned the Trojan lead to 56-31 at halftime. USC was shooting a toasty 58.3 percent from the floor through those first 20 minutes, ahead of Penn State's 34.2 percent. The Trojans were also ahead on the rebounding front 22-17 by the break. USC stayed effective overall and finished up at 52.1 percent, while Penn State wrapped at 38 percent. USC also ended up 44 rebounds to the Lady Lions' 38.
Watkins wound up with 35 points on a career-high 13-of-15 shooting along with 11 rebounds and was one off her career high in steals with five. Iriafen added 28 points for USC, which had nine Trojans score tonight. Penn State was led by Talayah Waker's 18 points and had three others hit double digits in Gabby Elliott (14 points), Gracie Merkle (13) and Alli Campbell (10).
USC manufactured a 12-2 run that featured a 3-pointer from Malia Samuels and a JuJu Watkins steal that fed Kayleigh Heckel for a layup that had USC ahead 20-8 with 2:15 on the clock. Watkins later nailed a three just before the buzzer to top off a 27-18 USC advantage after 10 minutes of play. Avery Howell buried her second 3-pointer of the game to counter a 6-0 surge by the Lady Lions. USC would strike off on another hefty run soon after, turning a 38-31 margin at 4:15 into a a 56-31 Trojan halftime advantage as USC wrapped the half on an 18-0 run that had five different Trojans score during the rally.
Watkins opened the second half with a steal and finish for the Trojans, although the Lady Lions broke through next with a 7-0 answer to make the score 58-38. Watkins provided all of USC's points as the there frame unfurled, getting USC ahead 64-41 as she crossed the 30-point threshold. Kiki Iriafen got in on the USC scoring next to make it 66-41 Trojans with 4:15 on the clock. Heckel got hot next for USC with a nifty take to the hoop and then a 3-pointer landed to build out a 71-45 USC lead at 2:25. Iriafen kept hitting for the Trojan cause, and USC was up 76-52 at the close of the third. Kennedy Smith struck first to open the fourth, and then it was a tag-team effort from Watkins and Iriafen on the scoring front for the next five minutes. A three-point play converted by Iriafen at 4:37 had USC ahead 91-66, and Vivian Iwuchukwu would top off USC's scoring with some tosses from the free-throw line as the Trojans rounded out a final 95-73 win.
NEXT:
USC's next action takes the Trojans back on the road next week, off to Bloomington to take on Indiana Jan. 19. From there, USC heads to pay a visit to Purdue on Jan. 22. Both Big Ten clashes will mark USC's first-ever visits to the Hoosiers and Boilermakers.
NOTABLE:
- USC's 16-1 start to the season and 6-0 start in conference play is its best since the 1993-94 season.
- USC is now on a 12-game win streak. The Trojans have now recorded wins streaks of 10 or more straight games during back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 1983-84 and 1984-85 seasons.
- SO JuJu Watkins (35 points) and GS Kiki Iriafen (28) have now both scored in double digits in all 17 USC games this season.
- Watkins has now scored 30 or more points in 18 of her 51 career games at USC. Her 18 30-point games ranks third on USC's all-time list, trailing only Cheryl Miller (25) and Cherie Nelson (20).
- With 35 points and 11 rebounds, Watkins recorded her third double-double of the season and 12th of her USC career.
- Watkins shot a career-best 86.7 percent from the floor on a 13-of-15 effort tonight.
- This is Iriafen's sixth game as a Trojan scoring 20+ points.
- With three blocks tonight, Watkins has recorded at least one block in seven straight games.
- With two 3-pointers made, Watkins has hit at least one three in USC's last 12 games.
- With three blocks, SR Rayah Marshall has recorded at least one block in the last 15 games.
- This is the 12th game this season that the Trojans have won by 20 or more points.
- USC scored 56 points in the first half. It was the seventh time this season that the Trojans scored 50 or more points in a half.
- USC held Penn State to a season-low 38.0 shooting percentage. The Lady Lions' previous low in a game this season was 38.5 at Minnesota on Dec. 28.
- USC is now 13-0 when holding an opponent under 40% shooting from the floor.
- This was the fourth time USC has shot 50 percent or better from the floor.
- USC forced Penn State into 21 turnovers and outscored the Lady Lions 27-6 in points off turnovers. It was the 10th game this season in which USC's opponent committed 20 or more turnovers.
USC topped off the first half on an 18-0 scoring run that ballooned the Trojan lead to 56-31 at halftime. USC was shooting a toasty 58.3 percent from the floor through those first 20 minutes, ahead of Penn State's 34.2 percent. The Trojans were also ahead on the rebounding front 22-17 by the break. USC stayed effective overall and finished up at 52.1 percent, while Penn State wrapped at 38 percent. USC also ended up 44 rebounds to the Lady Lions' 38.
Watkins wound up with 35 points on a career-high 13-of-15 shooting along with 11 rebounds and was one off her career high in steals with five. Iriafen added 28 points for USC, which had nine Trojans score tonight. Penn State was led by Talayah Waker's 18 points and had three others hit double digits in Gabby Elliott (14 points), Gracie Merkle (13) and Alli Campbell (10).
Grateful for all our Trojan alums ❤️💛 pic.twitter.com/HKqpU4sH1u
— USC Women's Basketball (@USCWBB) January 13, 2025
USC manufactured a 12-2 run that featured a 3-pointer from Malia Samuels and a JuJu Watkins steal that fed Kayleigh Heckel for a layup that had USC ahead 20-8 with 2:15 on the clock. Watkins later nailed a three just before the buzzer to top off a 27-18 USC advantage after 10 minutes of play. Avery Howell buried her second 3-pointer of the game to counter a 6-0 surge by the Lady Lions. USC would strike off on another hefty run soon after, turning a 38-31 margin at 4:15 into a a 56-31 Trojan halftime advantage as USC wrapped the half on an 18-0 run that had five different Trojans score during the rally.
Watkins opened the second half with a steal and finish for the Trojans, although the Lady Lions broke through next with a 7-0 answer to make the score 58-38. Watkins provided all of USC's points as the there frame unfurled, getting USC ahead 64-41 as she crossed the 30-point threshold. Kiki Iriafen got in on the USC scoring next to make it 66-41 Trojans with 4:15 on the clock. Heckel got hot next for USC with a nifty take to the hoop and then a 3-pointer landed to build out a 71-45 USC lead at 2:25. Iriafen kept hitting for the Trojan cause, and USC was up 76-52 at the close of the third. Kennedy Smith struck first to open the fourth, and then it was a tag-team effort from Watkins and Iriafen on the scoring front for the next five minutes. A three-point play converted by Iriafen at 4:37 had USC ahead 91-66, and Vivian Iwuchukwu would top off USC's scoring with some tosses from the free-throw line as the Trojans rounded out a final 95-73 win.
NEXT:
USC's next action takes the Trojans back on the road next week, off to Bloomington to take on Indiana Jan. 19. From there, USC heads to pay a visit to Purdue on Jan. 22. Both Big Ten clashes will mark USC's first-ever visits to the Hoosiers and Boilermakers.
NOTABLE:
- USC's 16-1 start to the season and 6-0 start in conference play is its best since the 1993-94 season.
- USC is now on a 12-game win streak. The Trojans have now recorded wins streaks of 10 or more straight games during back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 1983-84 and 1984-85 seasons.
- SO JuJu Watkins (35 points) and GS Kiki Iriafen (28) have now both scored in double digits in all 17 USC games this season.
- Watkins has now scored 30 or more points in 18 of her 51 career games at USC. Her 18 30-point games ranks third on USC's all-time list, trailing only Cheryl Miller (25) and Cherie Nelson (20).
- With 35 points and 11 rebounds, Watkins recorded her third double-double of the season and 12th of her USC career.
- Watkins shot a career-best 86.7 percent from the floor on a 13-of-15 effort tonight.
- This is Iriafen's sixth game as a Trojan scoring 20+ points.
- With three blocks tonight, Watkins has recorded at least one block in seven straight games.
- With two 3-pointers made, Watkins has hit at least one three in USC's last 12 games.
- With three blocks, SR Rayah Marshall has recorded at least one block in the last 15 games.
- This is the 12th game this season that the Trojans have won by 20 or more points.
- USC scored 56 points in the first half. It was the seventh time this season that the Trojans scored 50 or more points in a half.
- USC held Penn State to a season-low 38.0 shooting percentage. The Lady Lions' previous low in a game this season was 38.5 at Minnesota on Dec. 28.
- USC is now 13-0 when holding an opponent under 40% shooting from the floor.
- This was the fourth time USC has shot 50 percent or better from the floor.
- USC forced Penn State into 21 turnovers and outscored the Lady Lions 27-6 in points off turnovers. It was the 10th game this season in which USC's opponent committed 20 or more turnovers.
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