Friday, December 1
Westchester, CA
7:00 PM
USC
at
Loyola Marymount
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Photo by: John McGillen
Undefeated USC Women Pay A Visit To LMU This Week
November 28, 2017 | Women's Basketball, Features
Women of Troy look to extend their winning start to 2017-18 with a trip to face the Lions at 7 p.m. on Friday.
USC (7-0) at Loyola Marymount (7-0)
Gersten Pavilion | Los Angeles, Calif.
Friday, Dec. 1 | 7 p.m.
Series Record: USC leads 3-0
Last Meeting: W, 96-54 (Dec. 18, 2014 • Galen Center)
Current Streak: USC won 3
Stream | Stats
THIS WEEKÂ
USC returned from a victorious run at the Rainbow Wahine Showdown with its undefeated record intact and two new milestones marked by standout Trojans. With USC's 7-0 start to 2017-18, head coach Mark Trakh secured his 400th career win as a head coach. In USC's second win in Honolulu, senior Kristen Simon became the 26th Trojan to break the 1,000 career point barrier. Now, USC (7-0) turns to take on a local foe with a trip to Loyola Marymount (7-0) at 7 p.m. on Friday (Dec. 1).
IN THE NATION
USC is unranked but is receiving votes in this week's AP and USA Today Coaches poll. LMU is unranked.
SCOUTING LMU
The Lions enter the week undefeated with a 7-0 record after defeating Eastern Michigan 73-64 at the LMU Thanksgiving Classic. LMU faces Cal State Dominguez Hills on Tuesday night before facing the Trojans. Junior Cheyanne Wallace leads the team with 20.8 points per game and was recently named the WCC Player of the Week. Alford Bree leads on the boards with over 10 rebounds per game. USC is 3-0 all-time against LMU. In the last meeting, the Trojans beat the Lions 96-54 at Galen Center on Dec. 18. 2014.
MAKING HISTORY IN HONOLULU
USC locked up head coach Mark Trakh's 400th career victory and secured the championship trophy at the Rainbow Wahine Showdown with a 71-60 win over host Hawai'i on Sunday night in Honolulu. The lead changed hands seven times in the first half and hit a lull in the third, but the Trojans made a 10-1 rally in the fourth to take control. Season-high scoring efforts from Kristen Simon and Minyon Moore helped USC notch its seventh straight win, staying perfect on the year with a 7-0 mark. USC shot 55 percent in the first half, manufacturing a 14-2 scoring run in the last four minutes of the first half to break up a back-and-forth battle to that point. Aliyah Mazyck had landed four 3-pointers in the first half to match Kristen Simon's 15 first-half points down low, while Minyon Moore was tearing it up to the hoop for 11 points by halftime. USC slumped in the third and scored just nine points on 17 percent shooting, but the fourth saw the Trojans hit an uptick and go 40 percent from the floor, making that all-important 10-1 surge to leave Hawai'i out of reach. By the final buzzer, USC had shot 42.9 percent from the floor to Hawai'i's 42 percent. The Trojans nailed six 3-pointers in all, doubling up on the host's three. Hawai'i did win out on the boards 35-31. USC had three in double digits tonight, led by Kristen Simon's career-high 25 points and Minyon Moore's season-high 20. Aliyah Mazyck added 16 points and hit four threes. Hawai'i was led by Lahni Salanoa's 17 points, with 10 from Tia Kanoa. Kristen Simon was named MVP of the Rainbow Wahine Showdown, with Aliyah Mazyck also named to the All-Tournament Team.
VICTORY VS. MARIST
USC turned on the afterburners once again to leave another opponent in the dust at the Rainbow Wahine Showdown on Saturday. Marist had the advantage at the end of the first quarter, only to see the Trojans light it up in the next three frames to forge a path to a 78-57 victory that holds USC undefeated at 6-0 on the season. Kristen Simon's 1,000th career point came as the Trojans moved to an early lead in the second quarter, where USC made a power move to take a 35-23 halftime advantage over Marist. The Trojans were shooting 39.3 percent from the floor in that first half, bettering the 35.7 percent from Marist while the Trojans also nailed five 3-pointers in that first 20-minute span. USC also was doing well to get to the stripe, going 8-of-10 from the free-throw line to help the Trojan cause in the first half, while Marist was unable to earn any visits to the line. USC would heat up further to finish out the game shooting at a 47.4 percent clip, outpacing Marist's 41 percent. The Red Foxes landed nine 3-pointers in the game to edge out USC's eight, but the Trojans' total team effort was too much for Marist to match. USC would finish up with four Trojans in double digits, led by Aliyah Mazyck's 21 points and eight rebounds, while Simon added to her 1,000 in finishing up with 16 points. Minyon Moore tallied 17 points and added six assists, and Sadie Edwards delivered 11 points for the Trojans. Marist received 16 points from Rebekah Hand and 10 from Maura Fitzpatrick. USC also outrebounded the Red Foxes 377-27 in the win. Â
BEATING THE BOILERMAKERS
USC stared down its first halftime deficit of the season and staged an all-out rally in the third quarter to overpower Purdue on the way to a final 58-46 victory in the opener at the Rainbow Wahine Showdown in Honolulu. Sadie Edwards scored eight points all of her own to open the second half, and the Trojans had the boost they needed to shine through to a key early nonconference win. USC shot 31.3 percent from the floor in the first half to outpace Purdue's 29.6 percent, but the Boilermakers landed four 3-pointers before halftime to hold a slim 25-24 lead on the Trojans at the break. That's when Sadie Edwards' hot hand gave the Trojans the lift their needed. She'd carry USC along on a 10-1 run all by herself to get USC into the lead for good. With 17 second-half points, Edwards ended up leading all scorers with 21 points. Kristen Simon had her double-digit game in the books by halftime, finishing up with 16 points and nine rebounds, while Minyon Moore added 13 points to the Trojan cause. USC wound up shooting 38.1 percent from the floor in this one after hitting at a 45.2 percent clip in the second half, while Purdue remained at 28.9 percent in the game, hitting just one more 3-pointer to finish with five on the day. USC dropped four threes, and was a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line to Purdue's 13-of-17 effort from the stripe. USC also edged out the Boilermakers on the boards, 36-34 and forced 20 Purdue turnovers. Purdue was led in scoring by Andreona Keys with 12 points.
STAY GOLD
These two simple words are being used to define a new culture shift and a hopeful rebirth of the storied USC women's basketball program under the direction of newly-minted Trojan head coach Mark Trakh. "With this team, it's all about the culture," Trakh said. "We want the golden standard of cultures here at USC and to get our kids to be on the same page — to work hard, work together, play together hard offensively and defensively, be consistent with that effort, and represent the university well on and off the floor. I think that's the formula to winning and getting back in the tournament, and having that structure will go a long way for us this year and moving forward."  #StayGold
TROJAN GREATNESS
USC senior Kristen Simon has received national acclaim as one of the nation's top-20 centers named to the watch list for the 2018 Lisa Leslie Award. The Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame and Women's Basketball Coaches Association released their selections on Nov. 10. The award — named for Trojan great Lisa Leslie, who was a three-time All-American and 1994 National Player of the Year during her time at USC — will honor the nation's top center, to be announced at the NCAA Women's Final Four in Columbus, Ohio. This 20-player watch list will narrow to 10 in mid-February before five finalists are revealed in March. Simon, a 6-2 post who officially starts her senior season with the Women of Troy tonight in USC's home opener at 4 p.m., was named to the All-Pac-12 Team as a junior. She led the Trojans in scoring (14.6 points per game) and rebounding (8.7 rebounds per game) in the 2016-17 campaign. The versatile Simon has collected 18 double-doubles in her USC career to date, boasting a 21-rebound performance as a sophomore to net the fourth most single-game records ever by a Trojan. That effort was just two boards away from the career-best posted by Leslie while she was a Trojan.
LOOK WHO'S BACK
Mark Trakh is no stranger to the demands of being a head coach in one of the premier conferences for women's basketball. During his first tenure at USC (2004-09), he compiled a 90-64 overall record, making back-to-back NCAA appearances before a series of promising seasons that were eventually derailed by injuries to key players. Trakh also was able to compile an 8-3 record against crosstown rival UCLA while winning at least 17 games in each season as head coach. In his 22 years as a head coach — spanning Pepperdine, USC, New Mexico State and now a second stretch at USC — he has led his teams to eight NCAA appearances while building up a 393-267 career coaching record. For this 2017-18 season, Trakh has brought in associate head coach Jason Glover and assistant coaches Aarika Hughes, who played for Trakh at USC, and Blanche Alverson as his coaching staff.
SUPER SENIOR
Jordan Adams, a 6-1 guard from Irvine, Calif., was granted a sixth-year of eligibility by the NCAA after a season-ending knee injury last year. Now, the captain is back to bring a veteran presence at the point guard position. Prior to her injury, the former McDonald's All-American was having her best season in a Trojan uniform, averaging 8.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game and shooting over 55 percent from the floor in five games.Â
MORE SENIOR STRENGTH
Sadie Edwards, a 5-10 guard who earned Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable Mention after playing in all 30 games and starting the final 22 games last season, returns in the backcourt. The Connecticut product finished second on the team in 3-pointers made last season (24) and averaged 9.2 ppg, often being called upon to hit big shots. Bringing additional experience and leadership in the post is All-Pac-12 Team honoree Kristen Simon, who holds 17 career double-doubles to her name. Simon led USC in scoring (14.6 ppg) and rebounding (8.7 rpg) as a junior, starting all 27 games in which she appeared. The 6-2 Gardena, Calif. product also played the second most minutes per game last season (behind former guard Courtney Jaco) and will look to have another star-studded season as a senior starter.
HIGH POWER DOWN LOW
USC also has a quartet of young post players in sophomore forwards Asiah Jones, Ja'Tavia Tapley, Dani Milisic, and junior forward Marguerite Effa — all of whom are hoping to make 2017-18 their breakout seasons. Jones, an athletic 6-3 post played in 29 games as a true freshman and made some noise when she delivered eight blocks in a game against Mississippi State last season, the most by a USC player since Trojan great Lisa Leslie had eight in 1993 and the third most blocks ever recorded by a Trojan in a single game. She led USC in blocks last season with 35. Tapley, a versatile 6-3 forward, showed flashes of her potential last season after appearing in all 30 games and starting the last 15 of the year as a freshman. She set career highs with 15 points against Arizona and eight rebounds against WSU and averaged 5.7 ppg and 3.2 rpg. Also returning is redshirt sophomore Milisic, who brings both strength and length in the post. The 6-4 Australian looms as USC's tallest player on the roster this season. Milisic made her Trojan debut last year, playing in 20 games and shooting 40 percent from the floor. Rounding out the post players is 6-3 junior Effa, a native of Cameroon who prepped in Los Angeles and who boasts tremendous athletic ability. In addition to their defensive abilities, Trakh looks to these four to expand their offensive range and provide some support in the frontcourt for Simon.
BACK FOR MOORE
USC's 5-8 sophomore guard Minyon Moore was undoubtedly USC's spark plug off the bench last season, playing in all 30 games and leading the team in assists (4.0 apg) and steals (1.9 spg) in addition to finishing second in scoring (11.7 ppg). The Pac-12 All-Freshman Team selection shot 38 percent from 3-point range last season and also made a living at the free-throw line, shooting nearly twice as many free throws as the next player on the team. Trakh will rely on Moore to provide leadership and a big punch in the backcourt with her skills as a savvy distributor and sure scorer.
SPEEDY MAZYCK
USC returns the services of 5-9 junior guard Aliyah Mazyck, a tireless defender with burning quickness who averaged 6.6 ppg and 1.5 steals per game in 19 games last season. With her speed and threat from beyond the arc, a fully healthy Mazyck is guaranteed to cause huge problems for opponents this season.Â
THE NEW CREWÂ
The Trojans have two newcomers at the guard position, true freshmen Shalexxus Aaron and transfer Mariya Moore. Aaron, a 6-1 guard from Apple Valley, Calif., is the sister of current USC men's basketball player Shaqquan Aaron and was a CIF Southern Section First Team selection and CIF All-State Second Team pick as a senior in 2017. The headliner, however, is All-American caliber guard in Mariya Moore. Mariya, the older sister of current sophomore Minyon, transferred to USC following three successful years at Louisville where she was a three-time selection to the Naismith Trophy Watch List and an All-ACC Second Team performer as a junior for the Cardinal after averaging 12.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg, and 4.9 apg and helping Louisville to the Sweet Sixteen. A jack of all trades, the 6-0 Moore finished in the top-10 at Louisville in career assists, 3-pointers made, and free throws made, and No. 13 all-time in career points (1,365), while registering five career double-doubles and one triple double (11 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists vs. Syracuse). Moore will sit out the 2017-18 season due to NCAA transfer rules and will have one year of eligibility at Troy.
LAST SEASONÂ
USC finished up the 2016-17 season with a 14-16 overall record in head coach Cynthia Cooper-Dyke's fourth season at Troy. In Pac-12 play, USC finished tied for ninth place at 5-12 and fell in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament to eight-seeded Cal.  At the close of the season, junior Kristen Simon picked up a place on the All-Pac-12 Team, while senior Courtney Jaco earned All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention and Pac-12 All-Defensive Honorable Mention. Freshman Minyon Moore, who was a two-time Pac-12 Freshman of the Week and USBWA National Freshman of the Week during the season, was selected to the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team. Simon was USC's top scorer and rebounder with 14.6 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. Moore led the team in assists (4.0 per game) and steals (1.9 per game). Jaco moved up to rank No. 2 all-time at USC in career 3-pointers as she added a team-high 68 threes to her career count in her final season at Troy.
COMMITTED!Â
USC has added two new members to the Trojan family, as head coach Mark Trakh announced the signings of Jillian Archer and Desiree Caldwell to national letters of intent on Nov. 8. Archer and Caldwell will bring much-needed depth to their respective positions once they arrive on campus, as both prep standouts are set to don the Cardinal and Gold in the fall of 2018. A 6-2 forward from Santa Monica, Calif., Jillian Archer has made a name for herself as one of the best young rebounders and post players in the country. Ranked as the No. 47 overall player and No. 7 forward in the nation according to ESPN, Archer also currently ranks No. 54 overall and as the No. 8 forward according to ProspectsNation. Archer averaged 11.4 points per game to go along with 10.3 rebounds per game as a junior at Bishop Alemany HS in Mission Hills. Archer earned a spot on the All-CIF Southern Section Open Division First Team after she led her Lady Warriors to the CIF Southern California Division 1 Regional State Semifinals. A 5-6 point guard, Desiree "Desi" Caldwell hails from San Antonio, Texas. Ranked the No. 13 guard and the No. 74 overall player in the country according to ESPN, Caldwell currently sits as the nation's No. 14 overall player and No. 5 guard in the land according to ProspectsNation. Caldwell is a quick and savvy floor general who brings multiple years of international experience to Troy, having been part of the USA Basketball U16 National Team where she set the U16 assists record during her play in the 2015 FIBA Americas Tournament Championship. In that tournament held in Puebla, Mexico, she helped Team USA bring home the bronze medal with a 4-1 record. Caldwell will play her senior year of basketball at Byron P. Steele II HS in Cibolo, Texas, after playing one varsity season at Claudia Taylor Johnson HS in San Antonio. As a freshman, Caldwell compiled 316 points, 46 rebounds, 33 assists, and 23 steals, shooting 38 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free-throw line. Although Caldwell has spent the majority of her life in Texas, both of her parents are from California and surrounding Los Angeles areas. Her older sister, Recee, also started her collegiate basketball career at nearby UCLA before transferring to Texas Tech. Caldwell's international experience plus her extensive basketball background will serve her well when she arrives at USC. •
Â
Gersten Pavilion | Los Angeles, Calif.
Friday, Dec. 1 | 7 p.m.
Series Record: USC leads 3-0
Last Meeting: W, 96-54 (Dec. 18, 2014 • Galen Center)
Current Streak: USC won 3
Stream | Stats
THIS WEEKÂ
USC returned from a victorious run at the Rainbow Wahine Showdown with its undefeated record intact and two new milestones marked by standout Trojans. With USC's 7-0 start to 2017-18, head coach Mark Trakh secured his 400th career win as a head coach. In USC's second win in Honolulu, senior Kristen Simon became the 26th Trojan to break the 1,000 career point barrier. Now, USC (7-0) turns to take on a local foe with a trip to Loyola Marymount (7-0) at 7 p.m. on Friday (Dec. 1).
IN THE NATION
USC is unranked but is receiving votes in this week's AP and USA Today Coaches poll. LMU is unranked.
SCOUTING LMU
The Lions enter the week undefeated with a 7-0 record after defeating Eastern Michigan 73-64 at the LMU Thanksgiving Classic. LMU faces Cal State Dominguez Hills on Tuesday night before facing the Trojans. Junior Cheyanne Wallace leads the team with 20.8 points per game and was recently named the WCC Player of the Week. Alford Bree leads on the boards with over 10 rebounds per game. USC is 3-0 all-time against LMU. In the last meeting, the Trojans beat the Lions 96-54 at Galen Center on Dec. 18. 2014.
MAKING HISTORY IN HONOLULU
USC locked up head coach Mark Trakh's 400th career victory and secured the championship trophy at the Rainbow Wahine Showdown with a 71-60 win over host Hawai'i on Sunday night in Honolulu. The lead changed hands seven times in the first half and hit a lull in the third, but the Trojans made a 10-1 rally in the fourth to take control. Season-high scoring efforts from Kristen Simon and Minyon Moore helped USC notch its seventh straight win, staying perfect on the year with a 7-0 mark. USC shot 55 percent in the first half, manufacturing a 14-2 scoring run in the last four minutes of the first half to break up a back-and-forth battle to that point. Aliyah Mazyck had landed four 3-pointers in the first half to match Kristen Simon's 15 first-half points down low, while Minyon Moore was tearing it up to the hoop for 11 points by halftime. USC slumped in the third and scored just nine points on 17 percent shooting, but the fourth saw the Trojans hit an uptick and go 40 percent from the floor, making that all-important 10-1 surge to leave Hawai'i out of reach. By the final buzzer, USC had shot 42.9 percent from the floor to Hawai'i's 42 percent. The Trojans nailed six 3-pointers in all, doubling up on the host's three. Hawai'i did win out on the boards 35-31. USC had three in double digits tonight, led by Kristen Simon's career-high 25 points and Minyon Moore's season-high 20. Aliyah Mazyck added 16 points and hit four threes. Hawai'i was led by Lahni Salanoa's 17 points, with 10 from Tia Kanoa. Kristen Simon was named MVP of the Rainbow Wahine Showdown, with Aliyah Mazyck also named to the All-Tournament Team.
VICTORY VS. MARIST
USC turned on the afterburners once again to leave another opponent in the dust at the Rainbow Wahine Showdown on Saturday. Marist had the advantage at the end of the first quarter, only to see the Trojans light it up in the next three frames to forge a path to a 78-57 victory that holds USC undefeated at 6-0 on the season. Kristen Simon's 1,000th career point came as the Trojans moved to an early lead in the second quarter, where USC made a power move to take a 35-23 halftime advantage over Marist. The Trojans were shooting 39.3 percent from the floor in that first half, bettering the 35.7 percent from Marist while the Trojans also nailed five 3-pointers in that first 20-minute span. USC also was doing well to get to the stripe, going 8-of-10 from the free-throw line to help the Trojan cause in the first half, while Marist was unable to earn any visits to the line. USC would heat up further to finish out the game shooting at a 47.4 percent clip, outpacing Marist's 41 percent. The Red Foxes landed nine 3-pointers in the game to edge out USC's eight, but the Trojans' total team effort was too much for Marist to match. USC would finish up with four Trojans in double digits, led by Aliyah Mazyck's 21 points and eight rebounds, while Simon added to her 1,000 in finishing up with 16 points. Minyon Moore tallied 17 points and added six assists, and Sadie Edwards delivered 11 points for the Trojans. Marist received 16 points from Rebekah Hand and 10 from Maura Fitzpatrick. USC also outrebounded the Red Foxes 377-27 in the win. Â
BEATING THE BOILERMAKERS
USC stared down its first halftime deficit of the season and staged an all-out rally in the third quarter to overpower Purdue on the way to a final 58-46 victory in the opener at the Rainbow Wahine Showdown in Honolulu. Sadie Edwards scored eight points all of her own to open the second half, and the Trojans had the boost they needed to shine through to a key early nonconference win. USC shot 31.3 percent from the floor in the first half to outpace Purdue's 29.6 percent, but the Boilermakers landed four 3-pointers before halftime to hold a slim 25-24 lead on the Trojans at the break. That's when Sadie Edwards' hot hand gave the Trojans the lift their needed. She'd carry USC along on a 10-1 run all by herself to get USC into the lead for good. With 17 second-half points, Edwards ended up leading all scorers with 21 points. Kristen Simon had her double-digit game in the books by halftime, finishing up with 16 points and nine rebounds, while Minyon Moore added 13 points to the Trojan cause. USC wound up shooting 38.1 percent from the floor in this one after hitting at a 45.2 percent clip in the second half, while Purdue remained at 28.9 percent in the game, hitting just one more 3-pointer to finish with five on the day. USC dropped four threes, and was a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line to Purdue's 13-of-17 effort from the stripe. USC also edged out the Boilermakers on the boards, 36-34 and forced 20 Purdue turnovers. Purdue was led in scoring by Andreona Keys with 12 points.
STAY GOLD
These two simple words are being used to define a new culture shift and a hopeful rebirth of the storied USC women's basketball program under the direction of newly-minted Trojan head coach Mark Trakh. "With this team, it's all about the culture," Trakh said. "We want the golden standard of cultures here at USC and to get our kids to be on the same page — to work hard, work together, play together hard offensively and defensively, be consistent with that effort, and represent the university well on and off the floor. I think that's the formula to winning and getting back in the tournament, and having that structure will go a long way for us this year and moving forward."  #StayGold
TROJAN GREATNESS
USC senior Kristen Simon has received national acclaim as one of the nation's top-20 centers named to the watch list for the 2018 Lisa Leslie Award. The Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame and Women's Basketball Coaches Association released their selections on Nov. 10. The award — named for Trojan great Lisa Leslie, who was a three-time All-American and 1994 National Player of the Year during her time at USC — will honor the nation's top center, to be announced at the NCAA Women's Final Four in Columbus, Ohio. This 20-player watch list will narrow to 10 in mid-February before five finalists are revealed in March. Simon, a 6-2 post who officially starts her senior season with the Women of Troy tonight in USC's home opener at 4 p.m., was named to the All-Pac-12 Team as a junior. She led the Trojans in scoring (14.6 points per game) and rebounding (8.7 rebounds per game) in the 2016-17 campaign. The versatile Simon has collected 18 double-doubles in her USC career to date, boasting a 21-rebound performance as a sophomore to net the fourth most single-game records ever by a Trojan. That effort was just two boards away from the career-best posted by Leslie while she was a Trojan.
LOOK WHO'S BACK
Mark Trakh is no stranger to the demands of being a head coach in one of the premier conferences for women's basketball. During his first tenure at USC (2004-09), he compiled a 90-64 overall record, making back-to-back NCAA appearances before a series of promising seasons that were eventually derailed by injuries to key players. Trakh also was able to compile an 8-3 record against crosstown rival UCLA while winning at least 17 games in each season as head coach. In his 22 years as a head coach — spanning Pepperdine, USC, New Mexico State and now a second stretch at USC — he has led his teams to eight NCAA appearances while building up a 393-267 career coaching record. For this 2017-18 season, Trakh has brought in associate head coach Jason Glover and assistant coaches Aarika Hughes, who played for Trakh at USC, and Blanche Alverson as his coaching staff.
SUPER SENIOR
Jordan Adams, a 6-1 guard from Irvine, Calif., was granted a sixth-year of eligibility by the NCAA after a season-ending knee injury last year. Now, the captain is back to bring a veteran presence at the point guard position. Prior to her injury, the former McDonald's All-American was having her best season in a Trojan uniform, averaging 8.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game and shooting over 55 percent from the floor in five games.Â
MORE SENIOR STRENGTH
Sadie Edwards, a 5-10 guard who earned Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable Mention after playing in all 30 games and starting the final 22 games last season, returns in the backcourt. The Connecticut product finished second on the team in 3-pointers made last season (24) and averaged 9.2 ppg, often being called upon to hit big shots. Bringing additional experience and leadership in the post is All-Pac-12 Team honoree Kristen Simon, who holds 17 career double-doubles to her name. Simon led USC in scoring (14.6 ppg) and rebounding (8.7 rpg) as a junior, starting all 27 games in which she appeared. The 6-2 Gardena, Calif. product also played the second most minutes per game last season (behind former guard Courtney Jaco) and will look to have another star-studded season as a senior starter.
HIGH POWER DOWN LOW
USC also has a quartet of young post players in sophomore forwards Asiah Jones, Ja'Tavia Tapley, Dani Milisic, and junior forward Marguerite Effa — all of whom are hoping to make 2017-18 their breakout seasons. Jones, an athletic 6-3 post played in 29 games as a true freshman and made some noise when she delivered eight blocks in a game against Mississippi State last season, the most by a USC player since Trojan great Lisa Leslie had eight in 1993 and the third most blocks ever recorded by a Trojan in a single game. She led USC in blocks last season with 35. Tapley, a versatile 6-3 forward, showed flashes of her potential last season after appearing in all 30 games and starting the last 15 of the year as a freshman. She set career highs with 15 points against Arizona and eight rebounds against WSU and averaged 5.7 ppg and 3.2 rpg. Also returning is redshirt sophomore Milisic, who brings both strength and length in the post. The 6-4 Australian looms as USC's tallest player on the roster this season. Milisic made her Trojan debut last year, playing in 20 games and shooting 40 percent from the floor. Rounding out the post players is 6-3 junior Effa, a native of Cameroon who prepped in Los Angeles and who boasts tremendous athletic ability. In addition to their defensive abilities, Trakh looks to these four to expand their offensive range and provide some support in the frontcourt for Simon.
BACK FOR MOORE
USC's 5-8 sophomore guard Minyon Moore was undoubtedly USC's spark plug off the bench last season, playing in all 30 games and leading the team in assists (4.0 apg) and steals (1.9 spg) in addition to finishing second in scoring (11.7 ppg). The Pac-12 All-Freshman Team selection shot 38 percent from 3-point range last season and also made a living at the free-throw line, shooting nearly twice as many free throws as the next player on the team. Trakh will rely on Moore to provide leadership and a big punch in the backcourt with her skills as a savvy distributor and sure scorer.
SPEEDY MAZYCK
USC returns the services of 5-9 junior guard Aliyah Mazyck, a tireless defender with burning quickness who averaged 6.6 ppg and 1.5 steals per game in 19 games last season. With her speed and threat from beyond the arc, a fully healthy Mazyck is guaranteed to cause huge problems for opponents this season.Â
THE NEW CREWÂ
The Trojans have two newcomers at the guard position, true freshmen Shalexxus Aaron and transfer Mariya Moore. Aaron, a 6-1 guard from Apple Valley, Calif., is the sister of current USC men's basketball player Shaqquan Aaron and was a CIF Southern Section First Team selection and CIF All-State Second Team pick as a senior in 2017. The headliner, however, is All-American caliber guard in Mariya Moore. Mariya, the older sister of current sophomore Minyon, transferred to USC following three successful years at Louisville where she was a three-time selection to the Naismith Trophy Watch List and an All-ACC Second Team performer as a junior for the Cardinal after averaging 12.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg, and 4.9 apg and helping Louisville to the Sweet Sixteen. A jack of all trades, the 6-0 Moore finished in the top-10 at Louisville in career assists, 3-pointers made, and free throws made, and No. 13 all-time in career points (1,365), while registering five career double-doubles and one triple double (11 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists vs. Syracuse). Moore will sit out the 2017-18 season due to NCAA transfer rules and will have one year of eligibility at Troy.
LAST SEASONÂ
USC finished up the 2016-17 season with a 14-16 overall record in head coach Cynthia Cooper-Dyke's fourth season at Troy. In Pac-12 play, USC finished tied for ninth place at 5-12 and fell in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament to eight-seeded Cal.  At the close of the season, junior Kristen Simon picked up a place on the All-Pac-12 Team, while senior Courtney Jaco earned All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention and Pac-12 All-Defensive Honorable Mention. Freshman Minyon Moore, who was a two-time Pac-12 Freshman of the Week and USBWA National Freshman of the Week during the season, was selected to the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team. Simon was USC's top scorer and rebounder with 14.6 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. Moore led the team in assists (4.0 per game) and steals (1.9 per game). Jaco moved up to rank No. 2 all-time at USC in career 3-pointers as she added a team-high 68 threes to her career count in her final season at Troy.
COMMITTED!Â
USC has added two new members to the Trojan family, as head coach Mark Trakh announced the signings of Jillian Archer and Desiree Caldwell to national letters of intent on Nov. 8. Archer and Caldwell will bring much-needed depth to their respective positions once they arrive on campus, as both prep standouts are set to don the Cardinal and Gold in the fall of 2018. A 6-2 forward from Santa Monica, Calif., Jillian Archer has made a name for herself as one of the best young rebounders and post players in the country. Ranked as the No. 47 overall player and No. 7 forward in the nation according to ESPN, Archer also currently ranks No. 54 overall and as the No. 8 forward according to ProspectsNation. Archer averaged 11.4 points per game to go along with 10.3 rebounds per game as a junior at Bishop Alemany HS in Mission Hills. Archer earned a spot on the All-CIF Southern Section Open Division First Team after she led her Lady Warriors to the CIF Southern California Division 1 Regional State Semifinals. A 5-6 point guard, Desiree "Desi" Caldwell hails from San Antonio, Texas. Ranked the No. 13 guard and the No. 74 overall player in the country according to ESPN, Caldwell currently sits as the nation's No. 14 overall player and No. 5 guard in the land according to ProspectsNation. Caldwell is a quick and savvy floor general who brings multiple years of international experience to Troy, having been part of the USA Basketball U16 National Team where she set the U16 assists record during her play in the 2015 FIBA Americas Tournament Championship. In that tournament held in Puebla, Mexico, she helped Team USA bring home the bronze medal with a 4-1 record. Caldwell will play her senior year of basketball at Byron P. Steele II HS in Cibolo, Texas, after playing one varsity season at Claudia Taylor Johnson HS in San Antonio. As a freshman, Caldwell compiled 316 points, 46 rebounds, 33 assists, and 23 steals, shooting 38 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free-throw line. Although Caldwell has spent the majority of her life in Texas, both of her parents are from California and surrounding Los Angeles areas. Her older sister, Recee, also started her collegiate basketball career at nearby UCLA before transferring to Texas Tech. Caldwell's international experience plus her extensive basketball background will serve her well when she arrives at USC. •
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Women's Basketball Head Coach Lindsay Gottlieb Media Availability 9/18/25
Thursday, September 18
USC WBB's Lindsay Gottlieb, Rayah Marshall and Talia von Oelhoffen | Trojan Press Conference
Monday, March 31
USC WBB heads to the Elite 8, defeats Kansas State in Sweet 16 | Rapid Reaction
Saturday, March 29
Kennedy Smith on USC WBB heading to the Elite Eight, Trojan freshmen getting the job done
Saturday, March 29
