This story was updated with quotes on February 5 at 9:05 p.m. PST.
USC refused to fall victim to a second straight slow start.
Sophomore guard JuJu Watkins put the Trojans on the board 21 seconds into the game, hitting a pull-up jumper to give USC a lead it would never relinquish. The two-point shot marked the Trojans’ smallest lead of the game, as head coach Lindsay Gottlieb’s squad took home a 86-64 win on the road against Wisconsin.
The Trojans had only lost back-to-back games once in Watkins’ first season — both against ranked opponents on the road — and USC put up a dominant effort to keep that the case after falling to Iowa on Sunday.
“I think the collective energy and feel won the night for us, we [are] always trying to get better,” Gottlieb said in the postgame press conference. “And I think coming off a loss, that was the main thing we’re looking for.”
After putting up a season-worst 35.4% from the field, the Trojans came back with a vengeance and recorded one of their best shooting percentages on the season, hitting at a 50.7% clip. That mark was good for their second-best shooting percentage in Big Ten play and fourth-best overall.
USC’s leading scorers — Watkins, graduate forward Kiki Iriafen and freshman guard Avery Howell — were emblematic of that phenomenon, combining to go 14-for-29 during live play.
Even with the strong shooting from the field, 3-point shooting remains a problem for the Trojans, who shot 31.3% from beyond the arc against Wisconsin. USC is undefeated when it shoots 30% or better from beyond the arc, but the Trojans only had 11 games below that mark last year as part of their Elite Eight run.
With six games left in the regular season and the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments still in hand, USC already has 10 games below 30% from 3-point range this season.
The Trojans showed the importance of ball security, winning the turnover battle by 17 and grabbing 23 points off of Badger giveaways. It was a complete performance for USC, which tied a season low with only seven turnovers to go along with its strong shooting percentage.
Wisconsin rides and dies off of star junior forward Serah Williams — she is the only Badger who averages more than 10 points per game — and that was on full display against USC. While Williams notched a game-leading 19 points, the 2024 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year also committed a team-leading four turnovers.
The Trojans were unrelenting in their defensive effort from start to finish, showing their depth and why they are the No. 7 team in the country despite their recent loss. Even with a majority-freshman lineup in the fourth frame, USC still forced six Wisconsin turnovers.
“Our defense is as good as we want it to be,” graduate guard Talia von Oelhoffen said in the postgame press conference. “When we sit down and are passionate and play the way that we know we can, we’re one of the best defenses in the country.”
All four freshmen who played for the Trojans put up points, with Howell’s 14 points leading the way among the first years. Although Wisconsin’s top three scorers combined for 41 points and USC’s notched 43, it was Gottlieb’s bench and depth which led to the 22-point victory.
Depth was a major emphasis for USC heading into this season after Watkins had to carry a majority of the load last season — she was the only Trojan to average over 15 points per game — and Gottlieb’s bench has shown a marginal improvement this season.
“I thought we got great contributions from everyone,” Gottlieb said. “[We’re] trying to win each game in the best way that we can, but also prepare ourselves for what’s coming.”
USC had 33 points off the bench compared to Wisconsin’s eight, allowing Watkins to play a mere 26 minutes compared to her 33.8-minute average, leading to a season-low 14 points from the sophomore. That point total is also the second-lowest output in her career.
The Trojans return home for two top-10 matchups, facing off against Ohio State on Saturday before a Crosstown Showdown against UCLA on Thursday.