LOS ANGELES – The No. 4 USC Trojans (19-1) continue to dominate the Big Ten Conference (9-0) after defeating the Minnesota Golden Gophers (18-4) on Thursday with a score of 82-69 at the Galen Center.
Kiki Iriafen led the Trojans with an impressive performance during the first half, scoring a personal 9-0 run. She finished the night with a double-double, contributing 23 points and 11 rebounds while shooting 9 of 11 from the field.
“Our whole team is getting better at live reads, taking what the defense gives us,” Coach Gottlieb said. “She’s one of the best players in the country.”
Juju Watkins struggled to find her rhythm offensively at the start. However, she maintained her focus and controlled what she could on the court. By the end of the night, she had scored 20 points, recorded three turnovers, and contributed four assists in her team's victory.
Watkins had a problematic half of basketball, possibly her worst performance. In the first quarter, she went to the free throw line and made just two free throws. She struggled significantly, starting 0 for 10 from the field, which led to visible frustration on the court. Despite committing one turnover in 18 minutes of play during the first half, she managed to turn things around in the second half.
“I thought her teammates really lifted her up,” Coach Gottlieb said. “I think she’s a very mentally tough human being and basketball player and finds a way at some point to figure it out.”
After scoring two points in the first half, she went on to score 18 points in the second half. It took just 15 seconds for Watkins to make her first field goal of the game at the beginning of the second half, followed by a three-pointer from the wing on her next possession.
Three USC players scored in double figures: Iriafen led the team with 23 points, followed by Watkins with 20, and Avery Howell with 12 points. Howell is quickly becoming a fan favorite, as the crowd cheers for her to shoot every time she touches the ball. Her 12 points came from four successful three-pointers, which were the only shots she made during the game.
The USC bench outscored the Golden Gophers 20-5, and also scored 14 points from fast break opportunities. Meanwhile, Minnesota managed to score 36 points in the paint despite Rayah Marshall being out of the lineup on Thursday night. Coach Gottlieb and the team did not find out till Thursday morning that Marshall would be out of the lineup.
“Rayah is a really big vocal leader for us,” Kennedy Smith said.
Smith played for 30 minutes, scoring nine points and grabbing five rebounds while shooting 3 of 10 from the field. The Trojans received strong contributions from freshmen Howell and Smith, but it was a collective effort from the entire team. Coach Gottlieb attributed their success to the rest they had since their last game on Saturday.
The Trojans quickly turn things around as they head back on the road to face Iowa on Sunday morning and Wisconsin later in the week.