Friday, January 25
Tucson, AZ
6:00 PM
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Arizona
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Photo by: John McGillen
USC Women Are Off To Arizona To Face Wildcats And No. 16 Sun Devils
January 23, 2019 | Women's Basketball, Features
Women of Troy visit Arizona on Friday and then take on No. 16 ASU on Sunday for more Pac-12 action.
USC (11-6, 1-5) at Arizona (13-5, 3-4)
McKale Court | Tucson, Ariz.
Friday, Jan. 25 | 6 p.m. PT
Series Record: USC leads 58-22
Home: 31-10 | Away: 25-12 | Neutral: 2-0
Last Meeting: W, 78-52 (Feb. 11, 2018 • Galen Center)
Current Streak: USC won 1
TV: Pac-12LA/AZ (PbB: Anne Marie Anderson; Analyst: Joan Bonvicini)
USC (11-6, 1-5) at #16 Arizona State (13-5, 4-3)
Wells Fargo Arena | Tempe, Ariz.
Sunday, Jan. 27 | 12 p.m. PT
Series Record: USC leads 56-24
Home: 31-9 | Away: 23-14 | Neutral: 2-0
Last Meeting: W, 77-62 (Feb. 9, 2018 • Galen Center)
Current Streak: USC won 1
TV: Pac-12LA/AZÂ (PbB: Anne Marie Anderson; Analyst: Mary Murphy)
THIS WEEKÂ
The Women of Troy are coming off a rivalry victory over UCLA as they now look to take some winning momentum on the road for mosrt Pac-12 play. USC (11-6, 1-5 Pac-12) is off to Arizona this week, first visiting the Wildcats (13-5, 3-4) for a 6 p.m. PT matchup on Friday (Jan. 25) in Tucson. On Sunday (Jan. 27), USC will take aim at an upset of a No. 16 ranked Arizona State team when the Trojans visit the Sun Devils (13-5, 4-3) at 12 p.m. PT.
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IN THE NATION
USC is not ranked in the national polls this week. On Dec. 18, USC climbed into the USA Today Coaches rankings, weighing in at No. 25 in the land last week. It was USC's first time back in the rankings since the final AP poll of the 2013-14 season, which had USC at No. 25. The Trojans' last appearance in the USA Today poll had been Nov. 15, 2011, at No. 22.Â
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LAST ACTION
USC senior Aliyah Mazyck had a season-high 26 points, including five 3-pointers, to lead the Trojans to a 72-67 victory at UCLA on Sunday (Jan. 20). The victory gave USC (11-6, 1-5) its first Pac-12 win of the season after dropping the first 5 games of conference play. It also avenged last month's 72-65 UCLA win at the Galen Center when the Bruins (9-9, 2-4) overcame at 11-point halftime deficit. The Trojans never trailed in this game, opening up a 19-12 first period lead and holding a 32-30 edge at halftime. After UCLA tied it at 32-32 right after the half, USC built an 11-point edge at 51-40 late in the third period. But the Bruins chipped away and closed to within 2 points several times late in the game, including 65-63 with 26 seconds to play, before Mazyck was fouled while hitting a layup with 23 seconds to go and added a free throw to give USC a cushion that UCLA couldn't overcome. Both teams were fairly even statistically, as USC shot 42.4% from the field to UCLA's 42.3%. UCLA had a slight rebounding edge (38 to 33), but turned the ball over 17 times to USC's 13. Minyon Moore added 12 points, a team-best 10 rebounds and 6 assists for USC, while Asiah Jones had 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the floor along with 5 boards, Ja'Tavia Tapley had 9 points, Mariya Moore scored 8 points and Kayla Overbeck had 7 points. Michaela Onyenwere led UCLA with 22 points and 12 rebounds, Lindsey Corsaro had 15 points while hitting all 3 of her 3-point attempts, Kennedy Burke had 14 points and 7 rebounds, Lajahna Drummer had 6 points and 10 rebounds and Japreece Dean had 8 assists.
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SCOUTING UA
The Wildcats are 13-5 overall and 3-4 in Pac-12 play after an 86-64 loss to Oregon State and a 93-60 loss to Oregon last week. Aari McDonald leads Arizona in scoring with 24.9 points per game, and Cate Reese leads on the boards with 7.8 rebounds per game. In series records dating back to 1977, USC is 58-22 all-time against Arizona. Last season, USC beat Arizona 78-52 at Galen Center.
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SCOUTING ASU
The No. 16 Sun Devils are 13-5 overall and 4-3 in Pac-12 play after an 77-71 loss to Oregon and a 79-76 double-overtime win over Oregon State last week. Kianna Ibis leads ASU in scoring with 14.7 points per game, and Charnea Johnson-Chapman leads on the boards with 76.8 rebounds per game. In series records dating back to 1977, USC is 56-24 all-time against ASU. Last season, USC beat Arizona State 77-62 at Galen Center.
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INJURY REPORT
Aliyah Mazyck (ankle) and Kayla Overbeck (knee) missed USC's Nov. 23 game vs. Utah State due to injury.  Mazyck and Minyon Moore (wrist) were sidelined by injury on Nov. 25 at Nevada. Mazyck also sat out the Dec. 1 game at UNLV. Cheyanne Wallace missed the Jan. 6 game at Cal (knee). Asiah Jones and Minyon Moore missed the Jan. 11 game vs. Oregon with injuries.
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MAZYCK MAKES THE LIST
USC senior Aliyah Mazyck's notable junior season has attracted national attention, as she has been selected as one of the country's top 20 shooting guards recognized on the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Preseason Watch List. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced the list today (Oct. 23). A finalist for the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year last year, Mazyck was a 2018 Pac-12 All-Defensive Team and All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention pick as a junior. That year, the Charlotte, N.C., native set a USC single-season record with 86 threes made. A full-time starter, she averaged 16.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game. Now a senior captain for the Women of Troy, Mazyck has stepped into a leadership role that will help the speedster's upward trajectory on the Pac-12 and the national radars this season. Named after the first player, male or female, named to the All-America Team in four straight college seasons, the annual Ann Meyers Drysdale Award — in its second year — recognizes the top shooting guard in women's NCAA Division I college basketball. Hampered a bit by early-season injury, Mazyck has started 10 games this season to date, averaging 13.5 points and a 2.3 steals per game along with 4.0 rebounds per game. She recently added her name to another spot in the USC history books in scoring her 1,000th career point with a 10-point outing against Oregon State on Jan. 13 at Galen Center.
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MARIYA ON NAISMITH WATCH LIST
As USC senior Mariya Moore engages in her first and final season of competition with the Women of Troy, the talented guard has earned national acclaim as one of 50 women's basketball players selected to the Citizen Naismith Trophy Watch List. A transfer from Louisville last year, Moore sat out the 2017-18 season due to NCAA transfer rules. At Louisville, Moore earned 2016 WBCA All-America Honorable Mention, was a 2016 All-ACC First Team honoree and a 2015 and 2017 All-ACC Second Team selection. The Citizen Naismith Trophy Watch List was released today (Nov. 12) by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. In February, a midseason 30 list will be release, followed by 10 semifinalists for the award to be named on March 4, 2019. Four finalists will be revealed on March 22, with the winner of the 2019 Citizen Naismith Trophy for Women's Player of the Year to be announced on April 6, 2019. The last USC player to be named to a Naismith Watch List was Cassie Harberts in 2013-14. Prior to Harberts, Jacki Gemelos and Briana Gilbreath were both selected to the Naismith Early Season Watch List at the start of the 2011-12 season. In 2006-07, Shay Murphy was on the preseason watch list, and Ebony Hoffman was a preseason candidate in 2002-03. USC already boasts two Naismith Trophy winners in three-time honoree Cheryl Miller (1984, 1985, 1986) and Lisa Leslie (1994). To date, Moore is USC's second leading scorer with 12.7 points per game, having set a new career high with 36 points scored at Cal on Jan. 6. In that game, Moore matched the USC record with seven 3-pointers made. She is currently averaging 4.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game in 17 starts as a Trojan.
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CULTURE SHIFTÂ
As the Women of Troy progress in this 2018-19 season, the energy and excitement generated by USC's combination of Trojan veterans and fresh faces is palpable. Along with the return of Pac-12 honorees Aliyah Mazyck and Minyon Moore, there are six Women of Troy who have seen their first game action in a USC jersey. Transfers Mariya Moore, Kayla Overbeck and Cheyanne Wallace are three of those six Women of Troy having logged their first minutes at USC. Shalexxus Aaron, meanwhile, is finally off the sidelines and in full force after sitting out the 2017-18 season with injury, and adds a deft shooting hand to the back court. The other two newbies forward Jillian Archer and guard Desiree Caldwell, who are USC's two true freshmen this season. Altogether, USC's six newcomers are averaging a combined 35.6 points per game in these first 17 games.
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SENIOR STRENGTH
USC's senior class offers a window into the new formula that head coach Mark Trakh is working with this season — a blend of players with diverse talents and diverse experience. Aliyah Mazyck is USC's record-holder for single-season 3-pointers made and is coming off a junior season where she averaged 16.5 points per game. Seniors Mariya Moore and Cheyanne Wallace, meanwhile, bring another angle of experience to the picture. Moore was a decorated player at Louisville, then transferred to USC last season. This year marks her first game action as a Trojan. Wallace also opted to change course to USC, coming across town from Loyola Marymount to get in the mix this season as a grad transfer. Currently, Mazyck, Moore and Wallace currently stand as USC's second, third and sevent leading scorers, respectively.
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POWER AT THE POST
USC has two standout juniors lined up for duty as veterans on the post. Ja'Tavia Tapley was the sixth man last year, and her 6-3 frame and incredible athleticism have helped her into a full-time starting role this season. Newly crowned for her junior season at USC is Vanderbilt transfer Kayla Overbeck, whose waiver to compete immediately as a Trojan was granted by the NCAA. An All-SEC honoree as a freshman, Overbeck adds yet another valuable depth charge to the post for USC. Redshirt sophomore Asiah Jones also is back in the lineup after a year sidelined by injury, and the athletic post brings length and serious leaping ability to the paint for the Trojans.  Freshman Jillian Archer also is in regular rotation at the post, helping USC boast important depth down low.
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LAST SEASON
USC finished up the 2017-18 season with a 20-11 overall record in head coach Mark Trakh's return to the helm of the program. In Pac-12 play, USC finished in seventh place at 7-7 and fell in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament.  Senior Kristen Simon picked up a place on the All-Pac-12 Team, while junior Aliyah Mazyck earned All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention and was a finalist for Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. She and sophomore Minyon Moore both landed on the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team. Along the way, Mazyck also set a new USC record for single-season 3-pointers made with 86.
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SEASON OPENER
USC's season opener was highlighted by debut performances from six new Trojans. Competing for USC for the first time, all six Trojans scored in a 73-55 win over visiting UC Riverside. A relative veteran at Troy, junior Minyon Moore led the way with a double-double — the fifth of her USC career — on a team-high 16 points and 12 rebounds to go with seven assists, as USC opened the 2018-19 campaign with a 1-0 mark. USC gripped a 12-point lead during the first half, but it would melt away as UC Riverside battled back to level it at 30-30 by halftime. That's when the Trojans turned the tide. USC outscored the Highlanders 27-12 in the third quarter to open things up, and the Trojans finished out the game shooting 44.6 percent from the floor to outpace UC Riverside's 38.3 outing. USC also outrebounded its visitors, 37-30, and went 50 percent from beyond the arc (10-of-20). One rebound shy of double digits at halftime, Minyon Moore collected three more in the second half while pumping out 12 second-half points. The first Trojan to hit double digits in the game, however, was senior transfer Mariya Moore, who shined in her Trojan debut with 11 points with three 3-pointers landed. Joining the 3-point parade for USC were two more Women of Troy hitting the court for the first time. Senior transfer Cheyanne Wallace went 2-for-2 from long distance, while redshirt freshman Shalexxus Aaron also tallied two treys in her first USC action. Junior transfer Kayla Overbeck may not have spotted up from beyond the arc, but she made her presence known down low, dumping in 10 points as she, too, hit the floor as a Trojan for the first time. Another newcomer to the paint at USC was freshman Jillian Archer, who provided five points on the night. True freshman guard Deisree Caldwell, meanwhile, had two points and two steals in her USC debut. In all, every USC player who got in the game would score in the victory. Junior Ja'Tavia Tapley was just short of double digits in finishing with nine points. Back in action after redshirting last season with injury was redshirt sophomore Asiah Jones, who had four points along with five boards.
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
