USC’s Kara Dunn and Jazzy Davidson Earn Big Ten Honors After Dominant Week
USC women’s basketball is making noise in its debut Big Ten season, and this week, the conference took notice. Senior forward Kara Dunn has been named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week, while freshman guard Jazzy Davidson picked up her fourth Big Ten Freshman of the Week award, continuing a breakout campaign that’s turning heads across the country.
For Dunn, this is her first career Big Ten weekly honor-and it’s well deserved. She shared the award with Oregon’s Ehis Etute after putting together a two-game stretch that showcased her veteran leadership and elite two-way impact.
It started with a signature performance in USC’s 81-69 upset over No. 8 Iowa on Jan. 29, where Dunn dropped 25 points and pulled down 12 rebounds for her second straight double-double.
She also tallied five assists, a steal and a block, checking just about every box on the stat sheet. That game also marked her seventh consecutive 20-point outing and pushed her over the 1,500-point mark for her career-a milestone that speaks to her consistency and scoring prowess.
Dunn followed that up with another efficient effort in a blowout win over Rutgers on Feb. 1. She scored 18 points in just 28 minutes, adding six rebounds and two assists as USC cruised to a 71-39 victory at the Galen Center.
Over the Trojans’ last eight games, Dunn has been on a tear-averaging 23.8 points on 53.8% shooting, along with 6.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and nearly two steals per game. She’s led USC in scoring in nine straight contests and has been the engine behind the team’s recent surge, bringing a steady presence and relentless energy on both ends of the floor.
While Dunn has been the anchor, Davidson has been the spark. The freshman continues to impress with her poise and versatility, and her latest pair of performances only strengthened her case as one of the most impactful newcomers in the Big Ten.
In the win over Iowa, Davidson poured in 21 points and dished out eight assists, directly accounting for 40 of USC’s points in the upset. She added four rebounds, two steals and a block, showing off the kind of well-rounded game that’s rare for a first-year player.
She backed it up against Rutgers with 16 points, nine rebounds, three steals and another block. It was her 19th straight game scoring in double figures, and she continued to generate offense for her teammates-tacking on five assists that led to 12 more points.
Through the early part of the season, Davidson has emerged as USC’s statistical leader in nearly every major category: points (16.2), rebounds (6.4), assists (4.2), blocks (2.3), steals (1.9), and minutes played (33:51). That’s not just impressive-it’s rare. She’s not just contributing; she’s shaping the identity of this team.
As USC looks ahead to a road swing that includes matchups against Northwestern and Illinois, the Trojans are riding momentum and leaning on the balanced brilliance of their senior leader and freshman phenom. If this past week is any indication, they’re not just adjusting to the Big Ten-they’re ready to compete at the top of it.