University Southern California Trojans
USC Women's Basketball Falls 73-50 to No. 2 UCLA
March 01, 2026 | Women's Basketball
Trojans wrap up regular season in front of sold out Galen Center crowd.
Facing one of the nation's top teams, the Women of Troy battled throughout but were unable to overcome a fast start by the Bruins, who never trailed. UCLA capitalized early with efficient shooting and second-chance points to build a 38-20 halftime advantage.
USC continued to compete on both ends of the floor, led by freshman Jazzy Davidson. The freshman finished with a team-high 12 points, going 4-for-5 from the free-throw line and extending her double-figure scoring streak to 26 consecutive games. Sophomore Kennedy Smith added 11 points on a team-best five made field goals, while senior Londynn Jones tallied nine points and dished out a team-high three assists.
After trailing by 18 at the break, USC came out of halftime with renewed energy. Smith opened the third quarter with a driving layup and senior Kara Dunn provided a spark from beyond the arc. Dunn knocked down a pair of 3-pointers during an 11-2 Trojan run that trimmed the deficit to single digits at 40-31. During that stretch, USC controlled the paint and found opportunities in transition, outscoring UCLA in paint points and fast-break points in the third quarter.
Despite shooting 42.9 percent from the field in the second half, compared to UCLA's 35.1 percent over the final 20 minutes, the Trojans could not fully erase the early gap. UCLA responded to USC's push with timely baskets to extend its lead entering the fourth quarter and maintained control down the stretch.
Jones opened the final frame with a step-back jumper off an assist from Smith, and junior Malia Samuels capped the scoring for USC with a fast-break layup in the closing seconds off a feed from Dayana Mendes. Despite the effort in the final 10 minutes, USC came up short, falling 73-50 to the Bruins.
The Women of Troy close out the regular season at 17-12 overall and 9-9 in conference play, with the Trojans now set for the 2026 AllState Big Ten Championship Tournament beginning later this week.
MAIN TAKEAWAYS:
- With a team-high 12 points, FR Jazzy Davidson recorded her 26th consecutive double figure scoring games. Davidson drew a game-leading eight fouls, shooting 4-for-5 from the charity stripe.
- SO Kennedy Smith contributed 11 points and a team-high five made field goals
- SR Londynn Jones tallied nine points and a team-high three assists
- USC held UCLA to 73 points, it's second-fewest in a Big Ten conference game this season
- USC held UCLA to 14.3 percent from three and 35.0 percent from the field in the final frame of play
- The Women of Troy forced 14 Bruin turnovers, scoring 13 points off takeaways
QUOTES:
Lindsay Gottlieb | Head Coach
On having consistent support from fans in Galen Center:
"We feel really good generally about where our program is… We've got young players battling their tails off and we've got veteran players doing their thing. We have a program, we have a culture… We've had some really good wins and we've had some tough stretches, but I think we're primed [for] what this team can do in March."
On celebrating Kara Dunn and Londynn Jones on senior night:
"I've known Londynn [Jones] since she was about 12 or 13 years old… Kara [Dunn] I did not know [personally] until we started the pre-process, but I knew what she could bring as a basketball player… She has over-delivered in every way… What I really appreciate is that it's never felt temporary. They've been all in on what we're trying to do and giving us what they have… Being a Trojan is a lifetime thing. I hope they feel the love back and get more basketball to play. Both of them are highly capable of helping us win some games in March, and that's what we're going to focus on. We'll miss them a ton, but we're not losing them as humans and part of the USC women's basketball family."
