USC'S Lindsay Gottlieb says 'Kiki and Juju are the best duo in the country'

LOS ANGELES – The No. 4 USC Trojans secured a victory with a strong performance from Kiki Iriafen and Juju Watkins, who together scored 52 points in an 83-75 win against Michigan State on Wednesday night in front of 5,823 fans at the Galen Center.

The powerful combination of Iriafen and Watkins dominated the Spartans, leading by as much as 21 points.

Watkins had an impressive game, scoring 28 points, grabbing eight rebounds, and contributing three assists along with three blocks in 38 minutes of play. Iriafen also put on a strong performance, finishing with a double-double that included 24 points and 10 rebounds, along with three assists and three blocks. 

Meanwhile, Kennedy Smith contributed 13 points and four rebounds and made an impact on the defensive end with two steals and one block.

After the game, Coach Lindsay Gottlieb shared her insights on the performance of her duo. She highlighted their collaboration and emphasized the impact they have every time they step onto the court.

“Kiki and Juju are the best duo in the country,” coach Gottlieb said. “They played like it tonight.”

Watkins expressed her love for Iriafen and recognizes that their chemistry is developing as they approach the end of the season.

“Who wouldn’t wanna play with Kiki,” Watkins said. “It makes my life and everybody’s life easier.”

Although the Trojans forced 21 turnovers, they also struggled, committing 23 turnovers themselves, with Iriafen contributing six and Watkins adding five. Both teams scored 22 points off turnovers.

The Trojans' perimeter defense was impressive, as they effectively communicated and switched players, forcing Michigan State to make only 1 of 13 attempts from beyond the arc. Rayah Marshall contributed significantly to the game, finishing with eight points, 12 rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. The strong performance from the entire team certainly makes Coach Gottlieb's job much more manageable.

Avery Howell contributed six of USC's nine bench points in 20 minutes of play. Coach Gottlieb highlighted her vocal presence on the court as a "special quality," emphasizing how the team relies on her leadership as a freshman.

“She’s tough as heck,” coach Gottlieb “You can put her in any situation, she’s a winner,”

For Michigan State, Grace VanSlooten scored a career-high 29 points and collected six rebounds in 34 minutes. She effectively challenged the Trojans' defense, shooting 9 of 18 from the field and an impressive 11 of 12 from the free-throw line. Julia Ayrault also had a notable performance, finishing with a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds.

There was a tense moment late in the second quarter when Watkins went down to the floor, grasping the back of her neck. She left for the locker room but returned to the court during the final minute of the first half.

“Oh yeah, yeah, my neck, I got my neck tight up a little bit,” Watkins said.

The Trojans (24-2, 14-1) will host their final home game of the season on Sunday afternoon against No. 25 Illinois. They will conclude the season with a crosstown rematch against the UCLA Bruins on Saturday, March 1, at Pauley Pavilion.