USC girls’s basketball stuns No. 9 NC State, reveals potential with out JuJu Watkins

The No. 18 USC Trojans are taking part in this season with out star JuJu Watkins, who tore her ACL within the NCAA event final spring, however their first large take a look at resulted in a gusty 69-68 win in opposition to No. 9 NC State on Sunday. The sport was under no circumstances good, nevertheless it confirmed the potential of Lindsay Gottlieb’s squad and could possibly be a confidence builder as USC takes on South Carolina subsequent weekend.

The Wolfpack is a really younger group with no seniors on the roster, nevertheless it got here into the 2025 Ally Tipoff sport in opposition to USC on the coattails of an 80-77 win over No. 8 Tennessee in its season opener on Tuesday. 

Gottlieb is aware of the Trojans are nonetheless adjusting to the absence of Watkins and different key gamers from final season. Nonetheless, the coach likes what she sees from her gamers thus far.

“All people’s form of in a brand new function,” Gottlieb stated on Sunday. “We simply suppose it is an excellent alternative for others. That is the best way we wish to play. We wish to play quick and fluid. We’re making an attempt to play a extra open, pro-style offense, the place there’s quite a lot of reads and choices and placing individuals in several spots. We’re all the time going to play exhausting and tenaciously on the defensive finish and wish to play quick and all of the various things. 

“And I feel that is what the gamers purchased into. However there’s additionally totally different individuals in new roles and alternatives and that is loads to tackle. From somebody of their first faculty sport, to somebody of their first time in a USC uniform being requested to tackle much more, which is a good, superior alternative. I really like teaching us, however I feel we have quite a lot of rising to do as nicely, which is thrilling.”

After an 87-48 win in opposition to New Mexico State of their season opener and the AP Prime 10 win over NC State, the Trojans are 2-0. This may not be a staff able to compete for a nationwide championship but, however there are some good issues now we have seen from the Trojans thus far.

Jazzy Davidson is nearly as good as marketed

Davidson, the No. 3 participant of the category of 2025, arrived in Los Angeles with excessive expectations as a result of her excessive basketball IQ, quickness and flexibility. She has the talents of a guard, whereas her 6-foot-1 peak helps her as a defender on the perimeter.

She went simply 5 of 26 from the sphere in her first three halves as a Trojan. Nonetheless, she continued serving to in different methods whereas her photographs weren’t falling. She correctly launched herself to school basketball within the second half in opposition to NC State, when she began 4 of 4 from the sphere whereas nonetheless sustaining her defensive depth. 

The freshman, who’s mentored by Watkins, did just a little little bit of every part within the Trojans’ win in opposition to the Wolfpack. She scored a team-high 21 factors, together with 4 rebounds, 4 assists, three steals and 5 blocks. 

“I am simply blessed with superb coaches and teammates,” Davidson stated on Sunday. “They actually maintain me grounded in conditions like that, when my photographs should not falling as a lot as I might prefer it to, and I am simply actually grateful for them.”

Londynn Jones is perhaps an X issue

X issue, spark, name it no matter you need. The very fact is that UCLA switch Londynn Jones has been impactful in her first two video games as a Trojan. In opposition to NMSU, Jones went 0 for 3 from past the arc however nonetheless shot over 54% from the sphere to contribute 16 factors. On Sunday, she scored 19 factors whereas being the spark that saved USC aggressive within the first half when hardly anyone else might purchase a shot.

Jones was a starter with the Bruins however has thus far come off the bench for the Trojans. Through the 2023-24 season, Jones set UCLA’s single-season report for 3-pointers made with 87. She hasn’t been probably the most environment friendly shooter in her faculty profession — she hasn’t had a season wherein she shoots over 37% from the sphere or averaged greater than 12 factors per sport — however the potential for her to make a big affect on this roster is definitely there. 

“I feel observe isn’t sufficient,” the senior stated on Sunday. “I feel that what you do in observe, you form of see what you possibly can work on, what it is advisable get higher at. I feel simply movie, now we have quite a lot of movie classes, so simply understanding that he work that is being put in. While you’re placing it in work, getting the reps, it comes naturally and you do not actually have to consider it.”

Kennedy Smith continues to be impactful 

Smith began 28 video games for the Trojans final season and was anticipated to be the staff’s key returner on this rebuilding 12 months. She shot over 41% from the sphere as a freshman whereas averaging 9.5 factors per sport and main the staff in steals. 

The photographs have not been falling for her early in her sophomore 12 months, as she has gone 7 of 26 within the first two video games. Regardless of these struggles, she was nonetheless one of many high contributors on Sunday with 10 factors and eight rebounds. She made back-to-back layups midway by means of the fourth quarter whereas USC was getting back from a double-digit deficit. She additionally obtained the help for Davidson’s sport winner. 

“I feel what makes Kennedy such an elite participant is that she will affect the sport with out scoring,” Gottlieb stated. “We all know she’s able to scoring, and I feel she had a few actually important buckets down the stretch. However she’s distinctive in that she makes different elite gamers higher. She might have the ball in her arms and really feel the protection and spray it. 

“She will be able to rating in and out and we all know she’s able to making photographs, and people photographs will fall. However she’s taking up much more in solely her sophomore 12 months, making an attempt to get the ball to be a playmaker and a shot distributor and scorer. However she’s elite defensively, she’s everywhere in the boards. And only a competitiveness about her that I feel different individuals are like, ‘okay, we are able to get a cease. We will make a play it doesn’t matter what’s taking place on the offensive finish.'”