LOS ANGELES – Juju Watkins scored 26 points, leading a victory over Nebraska, 75-55, on Wednesday afternoon at the Galen Center as they flipped the calendar page to 2025.
Kiki Iriafen scored 14 points on 7 of 16 shooting from the field, along with six rebounds, three assists, and one block. The Trojans dominated the paint with a 42-18 advantage. The Cornhuskers' defense struggled to contain the Trojans, who scored 15 fast break points. Additionally, 25 of the 75 points scored by the Trojans came from turnovers made by the Cornhuskers. USC forced a total of 18 turnovers during the game.
Rayah Marshall led USC with nine rebounds and eight points in 21 minutes of play. She dominated the paint with three impressive blocks against the Cornhuskers.
USC received valuable support from its bench, outscoring Nebraska 17-14. Freshman Avery Howell contributed six points, successfully making two of three attempts from three-point range. Kayleigh Heckel added five points, although she struggled to maintain possession, turning the ball over four times during her 12 minutes on the court.
USC allowed Nebraska to go on an 11-2 run to start the second quarter, giving the Cornhuskers a 19-18 lead. They took advantage of Iriafen being on the bench at the beginning of the quarter, but it didn't take long for USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb to reinsert her back into the game.
The Trojans managed to rally late in the second quarter, finishing the first half with a 16-6 run after trailing 28-23. Watkins led the team with 13 points in the first half, while Iriafen contributed eight points and five rebounds. USC had a strong presence in the paint, outscoring the Cornhuskers 24-10 in the first half.
In the first half, Nebraska's Jessica Petrie and Logan Nissley worked hard to keep their team competitive despite suffering from turnovers, which proved costly. The team had a total of 10 turnovers, allowing USC to convert those opportunities into 13 points. Petrie finished the game with eight points, three rebounds, and one assist, while Nissley led Nebraska with 14 points.
Whenever Watkins takes on the ball-handling role, it opens up the floor, allowing her teammates to score as the defense focuses on her. Late in the third quarter, Watkins brought the ball down the court and made a no-look pass to Clarice Akunwago for the bucket and the foul, causing the Galen Center to erupt with excitement.
Kennedy Smith participated in her third game since returning from surgery in late November. The freshman from Chino, CA, was a significant contributor on both ends of the court. She made an impressive play, scoring through an up-and-under three-point move with less than two minutes remaining in the third quarter. Smith concluded the game with seven points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
Coach Gottlieb discussed Smith’s performance both physically and mentally after she missed some games over the last month.
“Kennedy, I’ve said it many times before, is the best incoming freshman defender that we’ve had,” Coach Gottlieb said.
The confidence that Coach Gottlieb has shown in Smith has certainly motivated the freshman to move forward.
“She installs a lot of confidence, Lindsay has a lot of confidence in me as a freshman,” Smith said. “Having my coach by my side is really something that helps me throughout the whole game.”
The Trojans held a commanding lead of 26 points in the fourth quarter, limiting the Cornhuskers to just 10 points during that period. Despite winning by 20 points, USC struggled with their three-point shooting, finishing the game with a 4-for-17 performance from beyond the arc.
USC faces two tough road matchups against Rutgers and Maryland before returning home to host Penn State.
“Conference championships are often won on road games at any point. It’s very difficult to win on the road,” Coach Gottlieb said. "We know this is a big road trip, it’s far but it’s also two talented teams. We will get the team as ready as possible and we will be up for the challenges.”
The Trojans are currently 13-1 and have won nine consecutive games, with Watkins averaging 25.2 points per game and 4.1 assists.