LOS ANGELES — They trickled in for this Saturday afternoon matinee, the Los Angeles commonfolk and the basketball elite alike, prepared for a thunderous encore.
Some had been right here to pay witness to Yr Two of the JuJu Watkins Period, rapper Saweetie and program legend Cheryl Miller and WNBA mogul Chiney Ogwumike all perched in courtside seats. Some had been right here to scout, with Dallas Wings basic supervisor and former Sparks head coach Curt Miller watching patiently for a glimpse of high WNBA prospect Kiki Iriafen. Some had been right here for a particular sentimentality, with Iriafen’s grandparents sitting a couple of rows up from Miller, visiting the opposite aspect of the world from Nigeria of their first time seeing their granddaughter play collegiate basketball.
All of them, in the end, anticipated a present. This was now not the group of a scrappy underdog, this system that captivated Los Angeles a season in the past. This was the group of a powerhouse, advancing expectations, a pregame hype video on the JumboTron emphasizing the lofty nationwide rating for fourth-year head coach Lindsay Gottlieb’s program.
All of them, in the end, may’ve left about 10 minutes in.
After a sloppy opener in Paris in opposition to Twentieth-ranked Ole Miss on Monday, this USC ladies’s basketball program confirmed no indicators of jet lag of their residence opener in opposition to Cal Poly on Saturday, operating an overmatched Mustangs workforce out of the fitness center from the tip in a 90-35 win.
After a pull-up jumper by Cal Poly’s Annika Shah a pair minutes in, the Trojans (2-0) promptly launched into a ridiculous 28-0 run, Gottlieb instituting a deadly full-court press that quickly devolved into a brand new type of bullying.
Heart Rayah Marshall, the native child who’d caught it out and sacrificed via 4 years of Gottlieb’s rebuild, authored a shining first-quarter second with a layup for the 1,000th level of her profession. Watkins, who hit the fuel slightly too exhausting at occasions in a nine-turnover debut in opposition to Ole Miss, operated with poise early within the submit to attract contact. Freshman guard Kayleigh Heckel, proving herself a vital sparkplug off the bench to USC’s 2024-25 hopes, flitted across the hardwood and wreaked havoc in early minutes.
The outcome was a 40-6 benefit after one quarter – the highest-scoring body in program historical past, in keeping with USC, because the NCAA switched to 10-minute quarters earlier than the 2015-16 season.
On Thursday, Gottlieb affirmed that the gritty win in opposition to Ole Miss had “exposed some flaws,” these Trojans committing 26 turnovers – “no excuse,” Gottlieb put it – and getting caught in Parisian tunnels for lengthy stretches offensively.
They course-corrected remarkably Saturday, with a mix of spectacular halfcourt management and blitzing transition offense. As a snaking Heckel and-one end gave USC a 57-17 lead heading into the break, USC ended the primary half forcing 15 turnovers and committing simply three.
Flooring-spacing continued to be some extent of concern, USC ending simply 6 of 28 from deep after a 1-for-9 displaying in opposition to Ole Miss. However bigs Iriafen, Marshall and others turned jumpers off-iron into inside dominance, the Trojans racking up 20 offensive boards in an end-to-end drubbing of a a lot smaller Cal Poly (1-1) program.
Watkins, who additionally swatted 4 pictures, and Heckel led USC with 16 apiece and Marshall added 15. Sophomore Malia Samuels shone within the second half with a career-high 12 factors and three 3-pointers.
Initially Printed: November 9, 2024 at 4:01 PM PST
