USC (17–13, 9–9 Big Ten) earned a No. 9 seed in the Sacramento 4 region in the NCAA Tournament and will meet No. 8 seed Clemson (21–11, 11–7 ACC) in the first round on Saturday, March 21 in Columbia, South Carolina.
“We’re excited to play another game. We’re excited to learn as much as we can about a really good Clemson team,” USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “Best tournament in all sports. An absolute thrill to be involved.”
The Clemson Tigers are making just their second NCAA Tournament appearance in the last 25 years and their first in seven seasons. It also marks the program’s first tournament berth under head coach Shawn Poppie, who took over the program two years ago.
This season, Clemson secured notable wins over Notre Dame and Virginia, but fell to Duke in both the regular season and the ACC Tournament.
The Tigers could potentially face the top-seeded South Carolina Gamecocks in the second round if they advance.
As the Trojans prepare to travel across the country, Gottlieb brushed aside concerns about the trip.
“We knew we’d be getting on a plane. We’re not unfamiliar with traveling. Sometimes it heightens your focus level,” she said. “It won’t be a disadvantage to fly. We’ve done that all year and have had a lot of success.”
After back-to-back No. 1 seeds in 2024 and 2025, seasons highlighted by star junior guard JuJu Watkins and postseason hardware like a Pac-12 Tournament title in 2024 and a Big Ten regular-season crown in 2025, this season was bumpier for the Trojans.
USC struggled early in conference play but responded with a six-game winning streak that included a win over then-No. 8 Iowa. The run fizzled late; USC lost its final three regular-season games, including a defeat to crosstown rival UCLA, and then fell 76–64 to Washington in the Big Ten Tournament.
After the Big Ten Tournament, the Trojans took a break, which according to Gottlieb was “really needed, mentally and physically.”
Despite the slow momentum, freshman guard Jazzy Davidson has emerged as a pivotal piece of this USC team.
Davidson was named National Freshman of the Year by The Athletic, was selected Big Ten Freshman of the Year and earned First-Team All-Big Ten, Big Ten All-Defensive Team and Big Ten All-Freshman Team honors.
She is the second player in USC women’s program history to earn a national freshman of the year honor, joining JuJu Watkins when she received the honor in 2024. Davidson was the only player in D1 basketball to lead her team in all major statistical categories this season.
“I’m super excited. You grow up playing basketball and watching the NCAA Tournament, and it’s always super electric every year. Just getting the opportunity to play in my first [NCAA Tournament], I don’t take that lightly at all. I’m just going in and doing whatever I can do to help the team win,” Davidson said.
Davidson, who suffered a shoulder injury early in the Big Ten Tournament matchup with Washington, was unsure of her fate in the tournament.
Luckily, she is cleared and ready to compete.
Davidson credited senior transfer guard Kara Dunn for the support she has provided throughout the season.
“She’s there for all of us on and off the court. She really has all of our backs and she’s built genuine relationships with every single one of us,” Davidson said.
Dunn, who transferred from Georgia Tech, said the transition to USC was smoother because of similarities between the ACC and USC’s style of play, noting both feature a fast-paced style.
Dunn reflected on the team’s growth and what it will take to advance. “I feel like we know that some games in the past we could have won and probably should have,” she said. “Knowing that gives us the power to control what we can control. If we come in confident and execute our jobs, then we have a good chance of making it far.”
Sophomore guard Kennedy Smith added, “It’s going to be competitive. It could be somebody’s last game potentially, so having that mindset of giving it your all, being competitive at 110%.”
Gottlieb said the Trojans still believe in their capabilities heading into the tournament.
“I think we’re focused. We understand that we have work to do to prove what we’re capable of. There’s no lack of belief in the room,” Gottlieb said. “In terms of the experiences we’ve had together, this is where we’re supposed to be, and we’re going to go play our best basketball in the NCAA Tournament.”
Although the Trojans’ season was not perfect, the team’s outlook heading into the tournament remains positive. Smith, Davidson and Dunn, along with Gottlieb, all expressed confidence that the group is ready to compete.
Tipoff time for USC’s first-round matchup against Clemson is set for 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.