INDIANAPOLIS — The Big Ten Tournament begins with an 84-79 victory for the USC Trojans over the Indiana Hoosiers in the quarterfinals on Friday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Juju Watkins achieved her 21st 30-point game in USC history, while Cheryl Miller holds the record with 25 games. This season, Watkins recorded her seventh 30-point game and another double-double, finishing with 31 points and 10 rebounds.
Kiki Iriafen stepped up to lead the team while Rayah Marshall was sidelined due to an illness. The absence of Marshall's strong defensive play put extra pressure on Iriafen, who eventually fouled out of the game, contributing 21 points and 10 rebounds on 8 of 19 shooting from the field.
The Trojans had a challenging day on offense, shooting just 28.6% from three-point range. It wasn't until midway through the fourth quarter that Indiana cut the deficit to three points. USC responded with consecutive three-pointers from Talia von Oelhoffen and Watkins, who made her only three-pointer of the game at a crucial moment.
Avery Howell was the only other player, besides Iriafen and Watkins, to score in double figures. She continues to be a key contributor to the Trojans' offense, especially when they need important shots. Howell is coming off a clutch performance against their crosstown rivals, the UCLA Bruins, where she hit two three-pointers late in the fourth quarter. Howell finished with 10 points, four rebounds, and three assists, making two of her four attempts from beyond the arc on Friday.
Freshman Kennedy Smith scored nine points, grabbed seven rebounds, and provided three assists along with two steals. Von Oelhoffen contributed six points, two rebounds, and five assists in the win against Indiana.
The Hoosiers entered the game as 13-point underdogs, battling defensively and attacking the basket since USC was short-handed down low. The Trojans committed 16 turnovers, while Indiana had 15.
Yarden Garzon led the Hoosiers with 23 points and eight rebounds. Chloe Moore-McNeil contributed significantly, adding 17 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. A key factor that kept Indiana competitive until the final minute was their shooting from long range. The Hoosiers shot 42.1 percent from beyond the arc and 39.7 percent from the field overall.
USC advanced to the semifinal of the Big Ten Tournament on Saturday, where they will play the winner between Maryland and Michigan.