LOS ANGELES, CA – USC entered a tough matchup against Indiana University on Feb. 12. The Lady Trojans came in looking to keep a four-game winning streak alive after a season marked by injuries and the loss of key players. Indiana, meanwhile, hoped to extend its newly established three-game winning streak. USC ended that short-lived run with a 79–73 victory. Through it all, freshman Jazzy Davidson led the way with 24 points, followed by junior Kara Dunn with 16 points. Both players added six rebounds apiece.
Photo Cred: USC
“[Jazzy] makes ridiculous stats look fairly ordinary for her, and they’re not ordinary,” head coach Lindsey Gottlieb said. “Her impact on both ends of the floor as a freshman—we’re talking about overdelivering. To be a freshman and carry the load the way she does—we’ve seen for a long time she’s capable of doing almost anything on the basketball court.”
USC initially struggled, trailing Indiana 37–35 at the half. The Trojans had difficulty settling into their defense early, but they flipped the switch coming out of the locker room. The Women of Troy carried strong momentum into the second half, with Dunn opening the period with a three-pointer. USC outscored Indiana in the third quarter and built a 57–54 lead. USC owned the fourth quarter, maintaining a narrow advantage and using the free-throw line to secure the final victory.
“I’m proud of our fight and the way we got to the free-throw line,” Gottlieb said. “I appreciate the growth of the team and our confidence to get it done, even if it’s not always the prettiest. That’s something we’re proud of, and we’ll take the bye weekend to get better.”
The game marked Davidson’s team-high 24-point performance and her 22nd game scoring in double figures. Sophomore Kennedy Smith also surpassed 500 career points. The night was also special for USC, as the team sported JuJu Watkins’ debut Nike NXXT Gen shoe, created in collaboration with LeBron James. Watkins is the first athlete to co-create a basketball shoe within the Nike LeBron NXXT Gen line with Nike.
Photo Cred: USC
“I think it’s really been comfortability for me and the support of my teammates and coaches,” Davidson said. “They put all the confidence in me, and I’m really grateful for that.”
“Everyone is wearing the JuJu Watkins NXXT Gen collaboration with LeBron James,” Gottlieb said. “It was a really special day for the whole team to be part of her shoe release in Watts. It’s been an incredible journey with JuJu, her family, and her team at Nike and her agency. To have something be a first for women’s college basketball, we’re really proud—for her, for us, and for the authenticity of what she said she wanted to do, which was impact the community.”
“We took accountability and fought to get better,” Gottlieb added. “We’ve gotten people in rhythm together, and I’ve always believed the potential of this team is big. I think we’re clicking more now because of how we handled the losing streak.”
With confidence growing and chemistry strengthening at the right time, USC continues to show signs of a team finding its stride as the season progresses. Behind the steady leadership of its veterans and the emerging star power of its freshmen, the Women of Troy are turning hard lessons from earlier in the year into meaningful momentum. If the Trojans remain committed to the process and continue to build on performances like this, they appear well-positioned to make a strong push down the stretch and into postseason play.
