USC women’s basketball stuns No. 9 NC State, shows potential without JuJu Watkins

The No. The No.18 USC Trojans will be playing without their star JuJu watkins this season, as she tore her ACL during the NCAA tournament in spring. However, they won their first major test with a 69-68 victory over the No. On Sunday, No. 9 NC State won a 69-68 win. It was not a perfect game, but it did show the potential of Lindsay Gottlieb’s team and could build confidence as USC faces South Carolina on Saturday. The Wolfpack, a young team with no seniors, came into the Ally Tipoff 2025 game against USC riding the coattails from an 80-77 victory over No. The 8th Tennessee won its season-opening game on Tuesday. Gottlieb understands that the Trojans still have to adjust after the loss of Watkins, and other key players last season. The coach is pleased with what she has seen so far from her team.Gottlieb stated on Sunday that “everyone’s in a sort of new role”. “We think that it’s an excellent opportunity for other people.” This is how we want to be. We want to be fast and fluid. We want to play a pro-style offense that is more open and fluid, with a lot of options and reads. We are always going to be hard-working and tenacious on defense, and we want to do everything possible to make the game fast. 

“And that’s exactly what I think the players have bought into. There are also new people with different roles and responsibilities, and it’s a big task to tackle. Someone in their very first college game to someone playing in a USC uniform for the first-time, being asked to take more on is an awesome, great opportunity. I love coaching, but I also think that we have much to learn, which makes it exciting.”The Trojans are 2-0 after an 8748 victory against New Mexico State during their season-opening game and the AP Top 10 triumph over NC State. The Trojans are not yet ready to contend for a national title, but we’ve seen some positive things from them so far. Jazzy Davidson is just as advertisedDavidson, ranked No. The No. 3 player in the class of 2025 arrived with high expectations because of her basketball IQ, versatility and quickness. She has the skills to be a guard while her 6’1” height makes it easier for her to defend on the perimeter.

In her first three halves, she only made 5 out of 26 shots from the field. She continued to help in other ways even though her shots weren’t falling. In the second period against NC State she was able to introduce herself to the world of college basketball. She started 4 out 4 shots on the field, while maintaining her defensive intensity. Watkins’ freshman protégé did everything to help the Trojans beat the Wolfpack. She had a team high of 21 points along with four rebounds and four assists. “I have the best coaches and teammates,” Davidson told reporters on Sunday. They keep me grounded when I am not hitting my shots as well as I would like. I’m really grateful for their support.

Londynn Jones is a spark or an X-factor. In her first two Trojan games, UCLA transfer Londynn has made a significant impact. Jones scored 16 points despite shooting only 54% on the field. She went 0-3 from beyond the arc against NMSU. Jones scored 19 in the first-half of Sunday’s game, while keeping USC competitive when no one else was able to buy a shot. Jones, who played for UCLA in 2023-24, set the record of 3-pointers with 87 during that season. She is not the most efficient shot in her college years – she hasn’t had a year where she averaged more 12 points per game or shot over 37%. However, the potential exists for her to have an impact on this team. The senior stated on Sunday that “practice is never enough”. “I think what you do during practice helps you to identify what you could improve on and what you should work on. Just filming, we do a lot, and understanding the work being done is important. “When you put in the work and get the reps, you don’t have to really think about it.

Kennedy Smith is still impactful Smith started 28 games for the Trojans last season and was expected to be the team’s key returner in this rebuilding year. As a rookie, Smith averaged 9.5 pts per game while shooting over 41%. She was also the leader of the team for steals. Early in her sophomore years, her shots aren’t falling. She only has 7 of 26 in her first 2 games. She was one of the most important players on Sunday, despite her struggles. She had 10 points and eight rebounds. Halfway through the fourth, she made two back-to back layups as USC came back from a double digit deficit. She also assisted Davidson on the game-winning basket. Gottlieb noted that Kennedy’s ability to impact a game without scoring is what makes her an elite athlete. “We’re aware that Kennedy is capable of scoring and I believe that she had some really crucial buckets at the end. She is unique because she helps other top players improve. She could spray the ball while she had the ball in hand and felt the defense. 

“She is a scorer inside and out, and we are sure that her shots will be successful. She’s trying to do more than ever in her sophomore season, attempting to become a playmaker, shot distributor and goal scorer. She’s a top-notch defender, and she’s on the boards. She has a certain competitiveness that makes me think people will say, “Okay, let’s get a stop.” No matter what the offense is doing, we can still make a move.

2025-11-10 02:43:53