Kara Dunn Keeps Delivering, But USC Women’s Hoops Keeps Falling Short
For six straight games, the script has played out almost identically for USC women’s basketball: Kara Dunn shows up in a big way, the Trojans find themselves in the fight late - sometimes even holding a second-half lead - and yet, the final buzzer sounds with another tally in the loss column.
Sunday’s 73-67 defeat at the hands of No. 9 Michigan was the clearest example yet of that frustrating pattern.
Dunn was sensational again, putting up 26 points and 10 rebounds - her first double-double of the season and the fourth of her career. She was efficient, too, shooting 9-of-15 from the field and a perfect 5-for-5 from the line.
From beyond the arc, she was the only consistent threat, knocking down three of her seven attempts. No other Trojan shot better than 50% on the night.
And yet, despite her efforts, USC couldn’t close the deal.
After digging themselves into a 12-point hole in the first quarter and trailing by double digits at the half, the Trojans came alive in the third. Dunn dropped 11 in the quarter, senior guard Londynn Jones added 8, and USC surged ahead. For a moment, it looked like a season-defining upset was in the making.
But the fourth quarter told a different story. Dunn cooled off, shooting below 50% in the final frame and committing two turnovers. The team followed suit, unraveling down the stretch as Michigan took control and USC dropped its sixth game in the last seven outings.
Tournament Hopes on Shaky Ground
Despite sitting at No. 23 in the NCAA’s NET rankings - a metric that factors in strength of schedule, scoring margins, and more - USC finds itself hovering around .500 with no guarantees of an NCAA Tournament bid. And the road ahead doesn’t get any easier. Three more matchups against top-11 teams still loom on the schedule, meaning the margin for error is razor-thin.
Dunn’s Scoring Surge the Lone Constant
If there’s been one bright spot during this rough stretch, it’s been the consistent excellence of Kara Dunn. Over the last six games, she’s taken on a heavier scoring load, attempting at least 15 shots in each contest and shooting better than 50% in four of them. She’s now hitting 48.7% from the field on the season - easily the best efficiency mark among USC’s high-volume shooters.
She’s also closing in on freshman guard Jazzy Davidson’s team-leading scoring average. While Davidson still leads the Trojans at 16 points per game, Dunn is right behind at 15.3 - and trending upward.
Against Michigan, Dunn outdueled Wolverines standout Olivia Olson, who scored 24 points on 10-of-20 shooting but missed all of her looks from deep. Dunn, meanwhile, was more efficient and added value across the board.
Davidson, for her part, continues to show flashes of star potential, but efficiency remains a concern. She’s taken nearly 100 more shots than Dunn this season but is shooting just 38.2% from the field and 26.8% from three. On Sunday, she went 3-of-10 from the floor for 11 points but did dish out a team-high seven assists - her 17th straight game scoring in double digits.
Londynn Jones was the only other Trojan to crack double figures against Michigan, finishing with 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting and hitting two threes. Outside of Dunn and Jones, though, the offense struggled to find rhythm or reliable production.
Turnovers and Frontcourt Struggles Continue
One of the biggest issues plaguing USC right now is ball security - and it was glaring again on Sunday. Sophomore guard Kennedy Smith, known more for her defensive prowess than offensive output, had a tough outing with a career-high eight turnovers.
That came just days after she gave the ball away seven times against Michigan State. As a team, USC committed 21 turnovers to Michigan’s 12 - a gap that proved costly.
Smith also shot just 2-of-7 from the field for five points, though she did lead the team with three steals. On the season, she’s shooting 35.3% overall and just 19.4% from three - numbers that underscore the offensive imbalance USC is grappling with.
Then there’s the frontcourt, where a rotating cast of forwards - Vivian Iwuchukwu, Gerda Raulušaityte, Laura Williams, Yakiya Milton, and Dayana Mendes - has yet to make a consistent impact. Despite logging significant minutes as a group, they’re combining for just 14.2 points per game. None of them typically play more than 15 minutes or take more than a couple of shots per game, making it tough to contribute meaningfully on the offensive end.
Iwuchukwu got the start again on Sunday - her third in a row - but played limited minutes and scored just two points. Milton didn’t see the floor. Meanwhile, Michigan’s starting five all reached double figures, highlighting the stark contrast in depth and balance between the two squads.
Looking Ahead: A Tall Task Awaits
USC returns home to the Galen Center on Thursday to face No. 8 Iowa - a team tied for first in the Big Ten and riding serious momentum.
For the Trojans, it’s a chance to flip the narrative and prove they can hang with the conference’s elite. But with the clock ticking on their tournament hopes, they’ll need more than just another big night from Kara Dunn.
They’ll need a complete performance - fewer turnovers, more balanced scoring, and someone else stepping up alongside their star guard. Because while Dunn has been doing everything in her power to keep USC afloat, basketball is still a team game. And right now, the Trojans are still searching for the kind of collective effort that turns close losses into wins.