USC Women’s Basketball Bounces Back with Dominant Wins Behind Davidson’s Breakout Performances
After a brutal stretch of top-tier competition, No. 16 USC women’s basketball got a much-needed breather - and they made the most of it.
The Trojans, now 5-2, had just come off a gauntlet that included three ranked opponents in four games: a statement win over then-No. 9 NC State, followed by tough losses to No.
3 South Carolina and No. 18 Notre Dame.
It was a stretch that tested USC’s early-season mettle and exposed areas still under construction.
But last week brought a shift in tone - and tempo - as USC returned home to face mid-major foes Tennessee Tech and Pepperdine. The result? Two lopsided wins that showcased the Trojans’ depth, defensive grit, and the continued emergence of freshman phenom Jazzy Davidson.
Davidson, Defense Dominate in Blowout Over Tennessee Tech
Tuesday’s 85-44 win over Tennessee Tech was a showcase from the jump - and no one set the tone more than Davidson.
The freshman guard, who came into the season with sky-high expectations as the nation’s No. 1 recruit, delivered her most complete game yet. She scored USC’s first seven points and never looked back, finishing with 20 points on a season-best 64% shooting. But it wasn’t just the scoring - Davidson pulled down a whopping 16 rebounds, the most by any Trojan this year, to secure her first career double-double.
“She was really willing to mix it up tonight,” head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said postgame. “Use her length, get the rebound, start our break - her effort is exceptional on both sides of the ball.”
That effort extended beyond the box score. After struggling with turnovers in recent games - including eight against Notre Dame - Davidson tightened things up, committing just two turnovers while even taking over point guard duties at times.
She wasn’t alone in the spotlight. Senior guard Londynn Jones matched Davidson’s 20 points on a blistering 7-for-9 shooting night, including a perfect 4-for-4 from deep. Sophomore forward Vivian Iwuchukwu also had a breakthrough, posting a career-high 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting.
And for the first time all season, USC’s offense clicked at every level. The Trojans shot over 50% from the field - a massive jump from their sub-40% mark through the first five games. Gottlieb chalked it up to “regression to the mean,” a nod to the idea that good shooters eventually find their rhythm.
But the real story was the defense.
USC held Tennessee Tech to just 21.5% from the field - the fifth-lowest shooting percentage allowed in program history. The Trojans swatted away 15 shots, their highest single-game total since 1984, with seven different players recording at least one block. Redshirt freshman forward Laura Williams led the way with four.
“There was an emphasis for us on just being the hardest working team tonight,” Davidson said. “Our defense really showed that.”
Trojans Roll Past Pepperdine With Balanced Attack
Friday’s 82-52 win over Pepperdine didn’t start as smoothly. Seven minutes in, USC led just 10-8 and had missed four straight shots. But once again, it was Davidson who sparked the turnaround.
Her three-pointer midway through the first quarter ignited a 24-2 run that blew the game wide open. By the time the dust settled, the Trojans were in full control.
Davidson followed up her Tuesday performance with another strong showing: 18 points, five assists, and three blocks. But this time, it was senior guard Kara Dunn who led the scoring charge.
Dunn poured in 19 points on a season-best 80% shooting, continuing her steady rise as a key piece in USC’s backcourt. Her 83 total points rank second on the team behind Davidson, and her 44% clip from three leads all Trojan starters.
“I’m not surprised when she trends upwards,” Gottlieb said. “I can’t say enough about her.”
Jones, who came off the bench in USC’s first six games, earned her first start of the season in place of the injured Malia Samuels. While she didn’t replicate her 20-point outburst from earlier in the week, her five assists were part of a season-high 27-assist performance for USC. Ten different Trojans recorded at least one assist, including seven from sophomore Kennedy Smith, who’s quietly emerging as a playmaking presence.
“Happy with a good team effort,” Gottlieb said. “We’re still in a place where we want to keep getting better, but you want to be able to build from one step forward and make it two or three in a row.”
Davidson Earns Big Ten Freshman of the Week - Again
After combining for 37 points across both games, Davidson was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week for the second time this season. Through seven games, she leads the Trojans in every major statistical category: points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals. Her 16.3 points per game rank 11th in the Big Ten - not bad for a player just getting started.
Her performances this past week weren’t just about numbers. They were about poise, growth, and rising to the moment when her team needed a spark.
What’s Next
With back-to-back wins in the books and momentum building, USC looks to keep the streak alive against Saint Mary’s College (5-3) on Tuesday night at Galen Center. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
If the Trojans can continue blending their defensive intensity with the offensive rhythm they’ve recently discovered, they’ll be a tough out for anyone - ranked or not. And if Davidson keeps ascending? USC’s ceiling might be even higher than we thought.