USC Women’s Basketball Shows Fight, But Still Searching for a Breakthrough Win
The USC women’s basketball team has spent much of this season walking a tightrope - and on Thursday night, they nearly pulled off the kind of win that can turn a season around. But in a game that had all the makings of a signature upset, the Trojans just couldn’t quite finish the job.
Facing off against No. 13 Michigan State, USC clawed back from a 22-8 first-quarter hole to take a halftime lead, then mounted a furious late rally after falling behind by 12 with five minutes to go. A 10-point burst in just 41 seconds lit a spark, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Spartans, who held on for a 74-68 win.
“We were not at our best in the first quarter, and your best is necessary on the road against a top 10-ish - whatever they’re ranked - team,” head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said after the game. “Just couldn’t get over that hump.”
That "hump" has become a frustrating theme for USC. The loss drops the Trojans to 11-9 overall and 3-6 in Big Ten play, and more notably, 0-5 against teams currently ranked in the top 20.
With matchups still looming against No. 12 Ohio State and No.
3 UCLA, the margin for error is getting razor-thin if USC wants to stay in the NCAA Tournament picture.
Kara Dunn Keeps Delivering
If there’s been one constant for USC during this up-and-down stretch, it’s been Kara Dunn. The senior guard has taken on the role of go-to scorer with poise and consistency, and Thursday was no different. Dunn poured in 23 points on 10-of-18 shooting, her fifth straight game with at least 20 points, and added six rebounds for good measure.
“We knew we were getting, with Kara, an established veteran player,” Gottlieb said. “She just worked, and now she’s really caught a rhythm.”
Dunn’s three-point shooting has been a lifeline for a team that’s struggled to find consistency from deep. She knocked down three triples against Michigan State and continues to lead the team with a 39% clip from beyond the arc - a number that stands out even more considering no other Trojan starter is currently shooting above 30% from distance.
Davidson Bounces Back in a Big Way
Freshman guard Jazzy Davidson has had her share of growing pains lately, particularly with her perimeter shooting. But against the Spartans, she reminded everyone why she’s considered one of the most dynamic first-year players in the country.
Davidson scored 21 points on 8-of-16 shooting, snapping out of a mini-slump and adding four rebounds and three assists. But it was her defensive presence that truly stood out - she blocked five shots, the third time this season she’s hit that mark. Her 2.6 blocks per game not only lead the Big Ten, they rank eighth in the nation.
“She puts so much pressure on a defense,” Gottlieb said. “She moves so well, shoots it well… Her value in how she impacts the basketball game is really high.”
Davidson’s three-point shot still hasn’t come around - she went just 1-for-7 from deep on Thursday, and is shooting 26.8% from long range this season - but her all-around impact continues to be undeniable.
Kennedy Smith Returns to Form - But With Some Rust
Sophomore guard Kennedy Smith, recently back from a leg injury, looked more like herself in this one. After a quiet return in her previous outing, Smith was aggressive on both ends, scoring 16 points on 7-of-13 shooting, pulling down six rebounds, and collecting a game-high four steals.
But her night was also marred by mistakes. Smith committed a career-high seven turnovers and fouled out late in the fourth quarter - a tough blow for a team trying to close the gap in crunch time.
And she wasn’t alone. USC turned the ball over 24 times - their highest total of the season - and committed 22 fouls.
Those miscues proved costly, especially against a disciplined Michigan State team that capitalized at the free-throw line. The Spartans attempted three times as many free throws as USC and made 12 more - more than enough to account for the final margin.
“We made too many mistakes, turned the ball over too many times,” Gottlieb said. “[We] weren’t sharp enough.”
The Road Ahead
The loss to Michigan State was USC’s fifth in its last six games, and while the Trojans continue to handle unranked opponents, they’ve yet to notch a true statement win since their early-season victory over then-No. 9 NC State - a win that’s lost some shine now that the Wolfpack have dropped out of the top 25.
After another ranked loss to No. 7 Michigan on Friday, USC finds itself at a crossroads. ESPN’s latest bracket projection pegs them as a No. 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament - a far cry from the lofty No. 2 seed projection they held earlier in the season.
Now, as they reach the halfway point of Big Ten play, the Trojans return home for a pivotal two-game stretch. They’ll host No.
10 Iowa on Thursday, followed by Rutgers on Sunday. If USC wants to reassert itself as a tournament threat, now’s the time to start stacking quality wins.
The pieces are there - a veteran scorer in Dunn, a rising star in Davidson, and a two-way threat in Smith. But the clock is ticking, and the Trojans need more than flashes. They need a full 40-minute effort.