JuJu Watkins wasted no time setting the tone in USC’s home opener, and by the end of Sunday night the No. 3 Trojans had turned the Galen Center into a runaway showcase.
Watkins piled up 32 points, a career-high 16 rebounds, six assists and five steals as USC rolled past Utah State 118-40 on Nov. 8. The Women of Troy moved to 2-0 with a result that tied for the third-highest scoring output in program history and came in front of just under 8,000 fans.
The margin was just as eye-catching as the total. USC won by 78, the second-largest victory margin in school history, and the Trojans did it with a balanced attack that produced six players in double figures.
Freshman Saniyah Hall kept rolling with her second straight 20-point game, finishing with 20 points, five rebounds, a career-high three assists and two blocks. Sara Okeke added career bests of 12 points and eight rebounds while going a perfect 5-for-5 from the field and 2-for-2 at the line. Jazzy Davidson also scored 12 and handed out a season-high six assists, Sitaya Fagan matched her career high with 11 points, and Laura Williams chipped in a career-best 10.
USC’s offense was clicking everywhere. The Trojans shot 60 percent from the floor, piled up 29 assists and committed only seven turnovers.
They dominated the paint 72-22, won the rebounding battle 56-19 and grabbed 23 offensive boards that turned into 32 second-chance points. On the other end, Utah State shot just 28.1 percent and USC turned 18 Aggie turnovers into 27 points.
The game got away from Utah State almost immediately. Davidson opened the scoring with a three-pointer off a Kennedy Smith assist 14 seconds in, and Hall scored 10 points in the first quarter alone. USC went on a 15-3 run to build a 25-9 lead, then Watkins closed the period with a buzzer-beating three to make it 36-11.
That opening quarter was pure efficiency from the Trojans, who shot 76.5 percent and went 4-for-6 from deep. They also scored 12 points off turnovers and 10 in transition while holding Utah State without a point in either category.
The second quarter followed the same script. Fagan started the scoring with a layup at the 8:15 mark, and USC used a 13-2 burst to stretch the margin to 49-15. Watkins added seven points and five rebounds in the period, and the Trojans took a 55-22 lead into halftime.
USC kept its foot down after the break. A 17-5 surge opened the third quarter, pushing the lead to 72-27, and later a 17-point unanswered run blew it out to 89-29 before the Trojans finished the period ahead 89-32. Watkins contributed eight points and five rebounds in the third as USC outscored Utah State 34-10.
The Trojans crossed the 100-point mark early in the fourth quarter, opening with a 14-2 run that made it 103-34 with 5:59 left. Watkins added two more threes in the final period and finished with eight fourth-quarter points as USC closed out the 118-40 win. The Trojans also did not allow an offensive rebound in the second half.
Watkins’ night was loaded with milestones. She recorded her first double-double of the season and the 18th of her career, shot 10-for-19 from the field, 4-for-7 from three and 8-for-9 at the line, and posted a game-best plus-minus of +61 in 27 minutes. It was also her 22nd career 30-point game, leaving her within three of Cheryl Miller’s program record of 25.
Davidson’s 12 points marked her 31st double-figure scoring effort in 34 career games, and she passed 600 career points, now sitting at 609. Williams was perfect from the field, while Fagan added a career-high five rebounds and her first career steal. Pania Davis scored six points, Ryann Bennett contributed six points, four rebounds and five assists, and Smith finished with seven points and a season-high four assists.
USC is back at the Galen Center on Tuesday, Nov. 10, when it hosts College of Charleston at 7:30 p.m. PT.
In Other News...
USC Suddenly Holds A Surprising Amount Of Big Ten Power
USCs trip to Indiana next Saturday has become a lot more than just another Big Ten road game. The Trojans are suddenly sitting in the middle of a conference race that has turned unusually crowded, with several teams carrying multiple losses and watching the matchup closely because the result could reshape the path to the Big Ten Championship Game.
For USC, that means the stakes extend well beyond its own standing. A win over Indiana would not only help the Trojans, it would also suit a handful of Big Ten contenders looking for help elsewhere, while UCLA, which currently leads the league, is expected to be pulling in the opposite direction for obvious rivalry reasons. It is an odd spot for USC to be in this early in its Big Ten life, but the conference picture has made every result feel bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Suddenly Has A Real Opening After Wild AP Poll Chaos
USCs first College Football Playoff ranking of the season came in at No. 20, even though the Trojans were placed higher in the AP Top 25. That split alone says plenty about how the committee sees the early-season field, and it also leaves USC in a familiar spot where a strong finish can still change the conversation. With the AP poll expected to shuffle after a weekend that knocked off multiple top-10 teams, the Trojans are positioned to benefit from the chaos even if the movement is only modest at first.
The bigger picture for USC is less about one spot in one poll and more about the opportunity that opens when the teams ahead of it start stumbling. Ohio State and Kentucky were among the weekend losers, and that kind of upheaval tends to ripple through the rankings in a hurry. For the Trojans, the immediate task is simply to stay in the mix and keep climbing as the bracket picture and the AP order continue to sort themselves out. [Read more 🡒]
USC Is Finally Giving A Trojans Legend His Due
USCs latest Athletics Hall of Fame class brings a familiar name back into the spotlight, with All-American receiver Mike Williams among the honorees. The school made the announcement as part of its 13th Hall of Fame class, and Williams learned the news in a fittingly personal way when coach Lincoln Riley surprised him during a team meeting.
The formal introduction for the class is set for Nov. 21, before USCs final home football game against Maryland, giving the Trojans a chance to celebrate one of their standout pass catchers in front of the home crowd. For a program that leans hard into its history, it is the kind of recognition that connects the current team to the players who helped define the standard. [Read more 🡒]