Trojans make easy work of 16-seed UNC Greensboro in blowout win
If it can even be called drama, however much existed in USC's opening game of the NCAA women's basketball tournament Saturday ended in the second quarter.
The No. 1-seeded Trojans struggled through a sloppy start and led by just 2 points early in the second quarter against No. 16-seed UNC Greensboro.
And then, well, it went about as expected the rest of the way.
USC reeled off 16 straight points from there and only continued to add to the lead in the second half on the way to a 71-25 blowout win inside Galen Center to advance to a second-round matchup Monday vs. either No. 8 Cal or No. 9 Mississippi State.
JuJu Watkins led USC with 22 points, 8 rebounds and 3 steals and Kiki Iriafen had 13 points and 13 boards as the Trojans improved to 29-3 with the win.
MARCHING ON ✌️#FightOn | @WellsFargopic.twitter.com/yGqkTQeWQJ
— USC Women's Basketball (@USCWBB) March 22, 2025
Watkins, the Big Ten Player of the Year and first-team All-American, was playing through noticeable pain in her left wrist, clenching it between possessions, but she still managed to make a major impact as usual.
Watkins scored 5 points in that game-turning 16-0 run for USC as the Trojans found their rhythm after the sluggish start thanks in part to a turn-up in defensive pressure that clearly rattled the Spartans (25-7).
Kayleigh Heckel turned a steal into a fastbreak layup, Iriafen grabbed an offensive rebound and tossed in a putback and Avery Howell scored a layup and free throw to cap the spurt and stake USC to a 28-10 lead late in the first half.
Pick Six K9!
— USC Women's Basketball (@USCWBB) March 22, 2025
📺 ABC pic.twitter.com/e7dX5KHMVb
AND ONE AVES 😤
— USC Women's Basketball (@USCWBB) March 22, 2025
📺 ABC pic.twitter.com/PRdxnNiJD3
In the third quarter, USC had separate runs of 8-0, 9-0 and 8-0 to stretch the lead to 53-16. To that point, UNC Greensboro had made just 4 of 37 shots from the field.
this whole sequence >>>
— USC Women's Basketball (@USCWBB) March 22, 2025
📺 ABC pic.twitter.com/yA384x218b
In the end, the Trojans flustered UNC Greensboro into a woeful offensive performance at 7-of-54 shooting with 23 turnovers.
USC's 17 turnovers were the only real blemish a strong performance. Heckel added 8 points and 4 steals while Howell had 6 points, 8 boards and 2 steals for the Trojans.
Check back for full postgame reaction and coverage
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