Just seven minutes separated USC women's basketball from making the Final Four last season.
The Trojans were led there by the newest sensation in women's basketball, freshman guard JuJu Watkins. She broke the national freshman scoring record with 920 points and was second in the nation with 27.1 points per game.
Through packed gyms, a big season-opening win over Ohio State, and, as we all know, the final season of Pac-12 women's basketball, Watkins led the Trojans to an Elite Eight spot and a matchup against a No. 3 seed.
But it wasn't just a 3 seed. It was Yukon.
Last season's Elite Eight was billed as a clash of giants. The title game rematch between Iowa and LSU garnered a lot of attention, but UConn and USC also got their fair share with 6.7 million viewers.
On one side were the upstart Trojans and Watkins. The other was UConn, led by star lead guard Paige Bueckers, and it was blue as blood. The future of sports confronts symbols of the past and present.
But all that experience ultimately mattered as the Huskies took a lead in those seven minutes and crossed the goal line with an even bigger lead. It was a memorable moment for USC head coach Lindsey Gottlieb, who began preparing for next season as soon as possible.
“As much as I appreciate that season and what we did, I can tell you that as soon as I turned the page, the bar was raised,” Gottlieb said. “The standards have risen.”
The Trojans have talent and, after all, they made it to the Elite Eight. JuJu Watkins' ability speaks for itself, but players like Rayah Marshall will be back. However, there was a void to be filled as second-leading scorer Mackenzie Forbes lost eligibility and left for the WNBA.
To that end, USC's staff turned to the transfer portal. It's being used to replenish talent on the roster rather than as a rebuilding tool like some teams are using it. Kiki Illiafen and Talia von Olhoffen have stepped up.
Iliafen's resume speaks volumes, including being on Stanford's teams that won three Pac-12 championships, being named an AP All-American honorable mention, and winning the Katrina McClain Award as the NCAA's top power forward. I am.
“She's going to be a top-three pick in the WNBA draft,” Gottlieb said. “She's very good.”
It's important for Iriafen to pay homage to the women's basketball legends who came before her. She has felt the influence of that history. When she committed to USC through the portal, she received a message of congratulations from Trojan alumnus Lisa Leslie and met regularly in practice with program legend Sheryl Miller .
“It's something you can't really get anywhere else,” Iriafen said. “I think we are very fortunate to have such great people and legends in our corner.”
Von Oelhoffen, the Trojans' other transfer, came from a successful program at Oregon State University and had an excellent basketball IQ, positional versatility, and strong defensive ability.
“She's very intelligent and can play any position,” Gottlieb said. “She has the mentality to help the young players and make everything fit together.”
Part of what attracted Gottlieb to each player was their tournament experience. Iriafen had just reached the Sweet 16 at Stanford, and von Oelhoffen's Oregon State team had advanced to the Elite Eight at USC.
It's not just about relocation. USC welcomes seven freshmen to the program this season, and several are listed as ESPN's top players in the 2024 class. Gottlieb said he also expects immediate contributions.
She praised the three different freshmen joining the team this season. With Kennedy Smith's defensive ability and ability to play that end right away at the college level, and point guard Kaylee Heckel's quickness, Avery Howell could end up being the Trojans' best 3-point shooter. He said there is.
“All of our freshmen are really a priority impact for us, but I think some of them can get really, really big playing time,” Gottlieb said.
With Watkins, other returning stars, an experienced transfer class and a platoon of talented freshmen, USC will look to build on last year's success and aim for even greater heights.
