Thursday, November 14
Riverside, Calif.
7:00 PM
USC
at
UC Riverside
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Photo by: Josh Dunst/USC Athletics
USC Women Pack Up For SoCal Road Trips
November 12, 2019 | Women's Basketball, Features
USC will pay visits to UC Riverside and UC Santa Barbara in the week to come.
USC (2-0) at UC Riverside (1-2)
SRC Arena | Riverside, Calif.
Thursday, Nov. 14 | 7 p.m.
Series Record: USC leads 3-0
Last Meeting: W, 73-55 (Nov. 6, 2018 • Galen Center)
Current Streak: USC won 3
USC at UC Santa Barbara
Thunderdome | Santa Barbara, Calif.
Monday, Nov. 18 | 7 p.m.
Series Record: USC leads 15-13
Last Meeting: W, 82-39 (Nov. 15, 2018 • Galen Center)
THIS WEEKÂ
USC takes a 2-0 start to the 2019-20 season on the road next, with visits to UC Riverside and UC Santa Barbara on the docket. The Women of Troy (2-0) face the Highlanders (1-2) in a 7 p.m. showdown on Thursday (Nov. 14) in Riverside. After that, USC will hit the road again, aiming northward to take on the Gauchos in another 7 p.m. clash on Monday (Nov. 18).
IN THE NATION
USC is unranked in the latest AP and Coaches polls.Â
SCOUTING UCR
The Highlanders are 1-2 overall after getting a 60-58 win ay New Mexico State and falling 80-70 at New Mexico and 63-50 at UTEP last week. Marina Ewodo is leading UCR in scoring with 14.3 points per game, while Daphne Gnago and Skyler Lewis are averaging 7.7 rebounds per game each. USC is 3-0 all-time against UC Riverside after a 73-55 Trojan win last year at Galen Center.
SCOUTING UCSB
The Gauchos enter the week at 1-1 overall after beating Utah Valley 59-51 and falling to Saint Mary's 64-43 last week. UCSB will face San José State this Friday before hosting USC on Monday. Danae Miller is leading UCSB in scoring with 15.5 points per game, while Ila Lane is averaging 8.5 rebounds per game. USC is 15-13 all-time against UC Santa Barbara with wins in the past five meetings after a 82-39 Trojan win last year at Galen Center.
LAST WEEK
USC captured two early wins last week, beating host CSUN 69-53 before returning home to host Virginia in conjunction with the retirement of Trojan great Tina Thompson's jersey. After the ceremony, USC topped the Cavaliers 59-49 at Galen Center. USC's freshmen made their presence known in their Trojan debuts in Northridge, with six young guns combining for 50 points in USC's 69-53 win at CSUN. Freshman Alissa Pili made no mistake in drumming up a double-double to pace her new-look Trojan team with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Fellow freshman Endyia Rogers matched her with 18 as well, with another newcomer — grad transfer Stephanie Watts — also tallying double digits with 12 points. It's an exciting 1-0 start for the Women of Troy, who had all eight players who hit the court score tonight to kick off the 2019-20 campaign. USC shot at a 44.2 percent clip from the floor in the game, nailing six 3-pointers (three from Rogers, two from Watts and one from India Otto) while going 17-of-18 from the free-throw line. CSUN shot 24.4. percent from the floor, hit nine 3-pointers and was 6-of-8 from the line. CSUN was led in scoring by Jordyn Jackson with 14 points, and got 13 from De'Jionae Calloway and 11 from Deja Williams. Days later at Galen Center, USC shot 30.6 percent from the floor and held Virginia to just 26 percent at the other end. Virginia won out on the board 50-47, but USC pinned up a whopping 13 blocks — second most in program history — led by Stephanie Watts' five stuffs. She'd lead the Trojans with a double-double on 14 points and 12 rebounds, with Desiree Caldwell scoring a career-high 11 points and Endyia Rogers adding 10. Lisa Jablonowski led Virginia with 13 points and nine rebounds, with Jocelyn Willoughby scoring 10. Teams were even with 10 turnovers apiece.
THE "VETS"Â
Of USC's three seniors on the roster, only post Kayla Overbeck has logged minutes in Cardinal and Gold. Overbeck joined the Trojans as a transfer from Vanderbilt last season. Now, she's flanked by two other transfers — guards Stephanie Watts (from North Carolina) and Aliyah Jeune (from Morehead State) — who are playing out their remaining eligibility as Trojans. Overbeck, Shalexxus Aaron and sophomore guard Desiree Caldwell are USC's three returners from the 2018-19 season that saw the Trojans come up just shy of a postseason push with a 17-13 overall record. Â
YOUNG GUNS
Nine new faces are on the roster for 2019-20. In addition to grad transfers Aliyah Jeune and Stephanie Watts, USC has seven true freshmen in the mix — all wildly talented and all ready to hit the floor for their first minutes as Women of Troy. They include two state Gatorade Players of the Year in forward Alissa Pili (Alaska) and guard Endyia Rogers (Texas), as well as McDonald's All-American center Angel Jackson. Watts, too, was a McDonald's All-American coming out of high school in North Carolina before signing on with the Tar Heels. A bevy of talented freshmen guards are also locked in, with Madison Campbell, Alyson Miura, India Otto and Kyra White bringing extra punch to the USC backcourt as true freshmen.Â
STEPH SCORES A WATCH LIST SPOT
As she sets up for her first season as a Trojan, grad transfer Stephanie Watts has earned a place on the Preseason Watch List for the prestigious Ann Meyers Drysdale Award. Watts is one of 20 candidates on the Preseason Watch List, as announced Oct. 22 by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Watts joins the Women of Troy this season as a grad transfer from North Carolina, where she was the 2016 ACC Freshman of the Year and later led the team in 3-pointers made as a redshirt junior last season. In her three seasons as a Tar Heel, she scored 1,320 points. In her final season, she averaged 15.2 point, 5.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game while knocking down 82 threes. 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 third year — recognizes the top shooting guard in women's NCAA Division I college basketball.
PREP STARS
Several Women of Troy had especially decorated high school careers. Two were McDonald's All-Americans — Angel Jackson and Stephanie Watts — with Jackson also earning Jordan Brand honors, and Watts  as an Naismith High School All-American honoree. Two Trojans also were their state Player of the Year — Alissa Pili (Alaska) and Endyia Rogers (Texas).
LAST SEASONÂ
USC finished up the 2018-19 season with a 17-13 overall record after going 7-11 in Pac-12 play and with a loss in the Pac-12 Tournament first round. Seniors Aliyah Mazyck and Mariya Moore and junior Minyon Moore earned All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention, with Mazyck and Minyon Moore both also landing on the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team. •
Women's Basketball Head Coach Lindsay Gottlieb Media Availability 9/18/25
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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
