In the world of women’s college basketball, Jazzy Davidson is making waves as a freshman like no other. This season, her resume stands unmatched, earning her the Big Ten Freshman of the Year title and accolades from The Athletic.
Her latest feat? A historic NCAA Tournament debut with over 30 points, five rebounds, and five assists-something no freshman has done in the last 25 years.
Davidson's post-game reflections capture her team's spirit: “We play with a lot of grit and heart,” she said. “And when we’re clicking, I think that can be scary for a lot of teams.”
It’s clear that few opponents have managed to contain her this season. However, South Carolina is one team that has, and Davidson, along with her ninth-seeded Trojans (18-13), will face the top-seeded Gamecocks (32-3) again in the NCAA Tournament's second round.
Head coach Lindsay Gottlieb acknowledges the challenge ahead: “We’ve come a long way,” she said. “We’ve gone through a lot of ups and downs and developed as a team.
So have they. It’s a huge challenge in front of us, but we’re excited to still be playing and excited to take our shot at one of the nation’s best teams.”
Earlier in the season, USC faced South Carolina without JuJu Watkins, and Davidson was still finding her role. That game, part of a home-and-home series with a bit of marketing flair as “The Real SC,” saw South Carolina win 69-52, holding Davidson to a season-low performance.
Reflecting on that game, Davidson shared how her teammates’ support helped her move forward: “My teammates that have had more experience than me with college basketball knew that it was still super early on in the season,” she said. “The world wasn’t ending.”
Senior guard Kara Dunn, potentially playing her final college game, was instrumental in USC’s first-round overtime victory over Clemson, contributing 22 points and crucial plays down the stretch. “Clemson plays with a lot of passion,” Dunn noted.
“And I felt like we absolutely met that, and I felt like we surpassed it in the end. We were playing for each other.”
Davidson, despite a shoulder injury, showed no signs of slowing down in that game. Coach Gottlieb praised her resilience: “She’s a really tough kid. I don’t think anything was going to keep her from playing.”
South Carolina, since their November win over USC, has only faltered three times. They’ve bolstered their roster with Alicia Tournebize, a towering 6-foot-7 forward from France. Sophomore Joyce Edwards continues to be a powerhouse, averaging 19.8 points per game and delivering a standout performance the last time these teams met.
Gottlieb knows what’s crucial for the upcoming game: “We’ve got to box out. Keep them off the boards.
That’s important.” As the Trojans prepare for their rematch, the stakes couldn’t be higher, and the excitement is palpable.