A Promising Roster
The USC Trojans women's basketball program closed the 2025‑26 season with an 18‑14 record, finishing ninth in the Big Ten and securing a berth that belied the team's underlying momentum.
Headlining the return are guard JuJu Watkins, who averaged 23 points per game and was named to the All‑Big Ten first team, and sophomore phenom Jazzy Davidson, whose breakout performances earned her a spot on the conference's second team.
Conference Play and the Road Ahead
The Big Ten has announced the full slate of home and away opponents for the 2026‑27 campaign, giving the Trojans a blend of familiar venues and new tests.
At home, USC will host Illinois, Northwestern, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Minnesota and Nebraska, a stretch that contributed to a 5‑3 record on the Galen Center floor last year.
Traveling to face Indiana, Purdue, Iowa, Wisconsin, Maryland, Rutgers, Washington and Oregon, the team will look to improve on a 3‑6 road conference record from the previous season.
Rivalry and Championship Outlook
Two meetings with arch‑rival UCLA loom large, offering a chance for revenge after the Bruins swept the Trojans in the prior season and went on to capture their first NCAA championship.
Coach Lindsey Gottlieb, now in her second year, believes the mix of veteran leadership and emerging talent positions the program to contend for a national title, especially as the conference landscape shifts.