Saturday, March 8
Indianapolis, Ind.
12:00 p.m.
USC
28-2,16-1Big Ten
82
vs
70
Michigan
22-10,11-7Big Ten
1
2
3
4
F
Michigan
15
16
21
18
70
Southern California
12
17
24
29
82
Team Stats
Mich
USC
FG%
.385
.446
3FG%
.267
.278
FT%
.941
.731
RB
33
42
TO
17
17
STL
10
10
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
25
FGM
10
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Pts
20
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
6
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Pts
9
FGM
2
3FGM
2
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
C/F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballPhoto by: Katie Chin
No. 2 USC Women’s Basketball Fights Back To Beat Michigan 82-70 In Big Ten Tournament Semifinals
March 08, 2025 | Women's Basketball
Behind another set of double-doubles from Kiki Iriafen and JuJu Watkins, Trojans are through to another conference tournament final.
INDIANAPOLIS — The No. 2 USC women's basketball team saw Kiki Iriafen provide 18 points in the second half with JuJu Watkins giving the Trojans 16 in that stretch to key a USC comeback to an 82-70 win over Michigan in today's Big Ten Tournament semifinal at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. USC was down by nine points in the first half before mounting a 14-0 run in the fourth quarter to get into control. The Trojans are now 28-2 overall in advancing to tomorrow's 4:30 p.m. ET Big Ten Tournament championship game. Michigan is now 22-10 overall.
Michigan had the edge at halftime with a 31-29 advantage on the scoreboard thanks in part to some help from the free-throw line. USC shot its first free throws of the game just before halftime and was shooting 32.4 percent from the floor by the break while the Wolverines had gone 4-of-5 from the stripe with a 36.4 effort from the floor. Michigan was also ahead on the rebounding front 24-19 through the first 20 minutes of play, and each team had landed three 3-pointers apiece to that point. USC turned a tight fourth quarter into a Trojan-controlled affair with a 14-0 run that featured three-point plays from Malia Samuels and Avery Howell. USC wrapped the game shooting 44.6 percent overall, hitting five 3-pointers and ending up 19-of-26 from the free-throw line, while also going out well ahead on the boards to finish ahead 42-33. Michigan wound up 16-of-17 from the free-throw line with four 3-pointers landed and a 38.5 percent overall offensive effort.
For the second straight game, USC's Kiki Iriafen and JuJu Watkins recorded double-doubles. Iriafen put up 25 points with 11 rebounds, and Watkins added 20 points and 11 rebounds. Avery Howell gave the Trojans 11 points with two key 3-pointers, and USC got big minutes from Malia Samuels, who gave USC eight key points in the second half to help USC along to the win. Michigan was led by a game-high 26 points from Syla Swords along with double digits from Olivia Olson (13 points) and Jordan Hobbs (12).
Michigan was up to a seven-point lead midway through the third, but the Trojans were undeterred. USC would manufacture a 7-0 answer sparked by a Malia Samuels 3-pointer that was followed by four straight points from Iriafen to knot the game up at 46-46 at 3:12. The Trojans edged into their first lead since the first quarter with two smooth free throws from Iriafen to net a 50-48 lead at 1:58, and after another lockup it was a free throw from Watkins and a follow from Iriafen that tugged the Trojans ahead 53-50 with 30 seconds on the clock. Michigan made good from the free-throw line 10 seconds later, and it was a 53-52 margin entering the fourth. The score locked up twice in the first four minutes, even at 60-60 until Watkins delivered a go-ahead bucket before Samuels issued a three-point play at 5:36 for a 65-60 USC lead. With that wind in their sails, the Trojans sped along on a 14-0 rally that featured six big points from Avery Howell as USC got out to a double-digit lead that floated the Trojans on to an 82-70 final and the ticket to the Big Ten title match.
NEXT:
USC advances to the Big Ten Tournament championship game — the second straight conference tournament final for the Trojans — at 4:30 p.m. ET tomorrow (March 9) against either UCLA or Ohio State at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
NOTABLE:
- GS Kiki Iriafen scored 25 points and had 11 rebounds for her 11th double-double of the season.
- She scored 17 of her 25 points in the second half and finished with her 12th 20-point game of the season.
- Iriafen has scored in double figures in 28 of the 29 games she has played this season.
- G JuJu Watkins finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds for her eighth double-double of the season.
- It was also Watkins' 25th 20-point game this season, most in the country.
- Watkins scored 16 of her points in the second half.
- Watkins now has scored 1,655 career points, remaining ranked at No. 10 all-time in career scoring at USC and 32 points behind Ebony Hoffman with 1,687 points.
- Watkins has scored in double figures in all 30 games this season and in all but one career game (9 vs. Stanford in the Pac-12 Championship game on March 20, 2024).
- Watkins and Iriafen posted double-doubles for the second consecutive game and the fifth time in the same game together this season.
- FR Avery Howell scored 11 points and made two 3-pointers for her ninth game scoring in double figures.
- Howell has recorded at least one three-pointer in 17 of 19 games vs. Big Ten opponents.
- She now has made 46 threes this season, moving from tied for fourth to fourth all alone on USC's all-time freshman single-season list.
- With two steals, FR Kennedy Smith has recorded at least one steal in 20 of 23 games played.
- G Malia Samuels scored eight points today, her most points in a game since also scoring eight vs. CSUN on Nov. 12.
- She also had four rebounds and tied a season-best with three steals.
- With the win today, USC improved to 28-2, one win away from tying for the second-most wins in a single season in program history (31 wins twice, 29 wins twice).
- USC is now 25-0 when scoring 70 or more points (82 today) and 21-0 when outrebounding its opponent this season (42-33 today).
- USC outscored Michigan 29-18 in the fourth quarter today.
- In the first meeting between the two schools (a 78-58 win), USC outscored Michigan 21-11 in the fourth quarter. Across the two games, USC won the fourth quarters 50-29.
- This was just the second game all season that the Trojans trailed at the half (L vs. Notre Dame).
- USC has won five consecutive conference tournament games and reached the conference final for the second consecutive season.
Michigan had the edge at halftime with a 31-29 advantage on the scoreboard thanks in part to some help from the free-throw line. USC shot its first free throws of the game just before halftime and was shooting 32.4 percent from the floor by the break while the Wolverines had gone 4-of-5 from the stripe with a 36.4 effort from the floor. Michigan was also ahead on the rebounding front 24-19 through the first 20 minutes of play, and each team had landed three 3-pointers apiece to that point. USC turned a tight fourth quarter into a Trojan-controlled affair with a 14-0 run that featured three-point plays from Malia Samuels and Avery Howell. USC wrapped the game shooting 44.6 percent overall, hitting five 3-pointers and ending up 19-of-26 from the free-throw line, while also going out well ahead on the boards to finish ahead 42-33. Michigan wound up 16-of-17 from the free-throw line with four 3-pointers landed and a 38.5 percent overall offensive effort.
For the second straight game, USC's Kiki Iriafen and JuJu Watkins recorded double-doubles. Iriafen put up 25 points with 11 rebounds, and Watkins added 20 points and 11 rebounds. Avery Howell gave the Trojans 11 points with two key 3-pointers, and USC got big minutes from Malia Samuels, who gave USC eight key points in the second half to help USC along to the win. Michigan was led by a game-high 26 points from Syla Swords along with double digits from Olivia Olson (13 points) and Jordan Hobbs (12).
Rayah Marshall and JuJu Watkins took the Trojans to an early 6-2 lead before the Wolverines bit back and took a 10-6 lead with 3:00 on the clock. Avery Howell broke up that rally with a splash from 3-pointer range to get USC within one at 10-9 with 1:40 to go in the first. Kennedy Smith landed an equalizing three of her own with 8 seconds left, but the Wolverines buried a buzzer-beater to go up 15-12 at the end of the first quarter. USC got one back with strikes from Kiki Iriafen, but Michigan mounted a 7-0 surge to get to a 24-16 advantage. Iriafen hit again, but the Wolverines landed another 3-pointer next to work up a 27-18 lead at 5:20. Smith was a spark next for the Trojans, hitting a three that was followed by a Marshall bucket. Michigan strike back and had USC in a 31-23 hole, only to see Marshall get a big bucket to light the fuse on a 6-0 USC run to end the half within two of the Wolverines, down 31-29."We still have the mentality that we have something to prove."@maliasamuels23 shares @USCWBB's mindset heading into the @bigten championship game ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/oDjWuJUZUZ
— USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) March 9, 2025
Michigan was up to a seven-point lead midway through the third, but the Trojans were undeterred. USC would manufacture a 7-0 answer sparked by a Malia Samuels 3-pointer that was followed by four straight points from Iriafen to knot the game up at 46-46 at 3:12. The Trojans edged into their first lead since the first quarter with two smooth free throws from Iriafen to net a 50-48 lead at 1:58, and after another lockup it was a free throw from Watkins and a follow from Iriafen that tugged the Trojans ahead 53-50 with 30 seconds on the clock. Michigan made good from the free-throw line 10 seconds later, and it was a 53-52 margin entering the fourth. The score locked up twice in the first four minutes, even at 60-60 until Watkins delivered a go-ahead bucket before Samuels issued a three-point play at 5:36 for a 65-60 USC lead. With that wind in their sails, the Trojans sped along on a 14-0 rally that featured six big points from Avery Howell as USC got out to a double-digit lead that floated the Trojans on to an 82-70 final and the ticket to the Big Ten title match.
NEXT:
USC advances to the Big Ten Tournament championship game — the second straight conference tournament final for the Trojans — at 4:30 p.m. ET tomorrow (March 9) against either UCLA or Ohio State at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
NOTABLE:
- GS Kiki Iriafen scored 25 points and had 11 rebounds for her 11th double-double of the season.
- She scored 17 of her 25 points in the second half and finished with her 12th 20-point game of the season.
- Iriafen has scored in double figures in 28 of the 29 games she has played this season.
- G JuJu Watkins finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds for her eighth double-double of the season.
- It was also Watkins' 25th 20-point game this season, most in the country.
- Watkins scored 16 of her points in the second half.
- Watkins now has scored 1,655 career points, remaining ranked at No. 10 all-time in career scoring at USC and 32 points behind Ebony Hoffman with 1,687 points.
- Watkins has scored in double figures in all 30 games this season and in all but one career game (9 vs. Stanford in the Pac-12 Championship game on March 20, 2024).
- Watkins and Iriafen posted double-doubles for the second consecutive game and the fifth time in the same game together this season.
- FR Avery Howell scored 11 points and made two 3-pointers for her ninth game scoring in double figures.
- Howell has recorded at least one three-pointer in 17 of 19 games vs. Big Ten opponents.
- She now has made 46 threes this season, moving from tied for fourth to fourth all alone on USC's all-time freshman single-season list.
- With two steals, FR Kennedy Smith has recorded at least one steal in 20 of 23 games played.
- G Malia Samuels scored eight points today, her most points in a game since also scoring eight vs. CSUN on Nov. 12.
- She also had four rebounds and tied a season-best with three steals.
- With the win today, USC improved to 28-2, one win away from tying for the second-most wins in a single season in program history (31 wins twice, 29 wins twice).
- USC is now 25-0 when scoring 70 or more points (82 today) and 21-0 when outrebounding its opponent this season (42-33 today).
- USC outscored Michigan 29-18 in the fourth quarter today.
- In the first meeting between the two schools (a 78-58 win), USC outscored Michigan 21-11 in the fourth quarter. Across the two games, USC won the fourth quarters 50-29.
- This was just the second game all season that the Trojans trailed at the half (L vs. Notre Dame).
- USC has won five consecutive conference tournament games and reached the conference final for the second consecutive season.
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