Sunday, December 29
Los Angeles, Calif.
1:00 PM
USC
at
UCLA
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Photo by: John McGillen
USC Women Cruise Across Town For Pac-12 Opener At UCLA
December 24, 2019 | Women's Basketball, Features
Trojans take on the No. 10 Bruins at 1 p.m. on Sunday to kick off conference play.
USC (8-3) at #10 UCLA (11-0)
Pauley Pavilion | Westwood, Calif.
Sunday, Dec. 29 | 1 p.m.
Series Record: USC leads 49-47 (since 1971-72)
Last Meeting: W, 72-67 (Jan. 20, 2019 • Westwood)
Current Streak: USC won 1
TV: Pac-12 Los Angeles (PbP: Anne Marie Anderson | Analyst: Maylana Douglas)
Stats:Â sidearmstats.com/ucla/wbball/
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THIS WEEKÂ
USC carries a five-game win streak into Pac-12 play this week. The Trojans (8-3) kick off conference action with a crosstown showdown against rival UCLA. USC takes a trip over to Westwood to take on the No. 10 Bruins (11-0) in a 1 p.m. matchup on Sunday (Dec. 29) at Pauley Pavilion.
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IN THE NATION
USC is unranked in the latest AP and Coaches polls.Â
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SCOUTING UCLA
The No. 10 Bruins are 11-0 after beating Georgia 59-50 and Indiana 68-58 last week. Michaela Onyenware leads UCLA in scoring with 19.7 points per game, and she and Charisma Osborne are tied for the team lead on the boards with 7.5 rebounds per game each. In a series dating back to the 1971-72 season, USC is 49-47 all-time against the Bruins. Last year, USC lost to UCLA 72-65 at Galen Center and then beat the Bruins 72-67 in Westwood
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INJURY REPORT
Shalexxus Aaron (foot) and Madison Campbell (back) have not yet competed for USC this season due to injury. Stephanie Watts (knee) has missed recent games, and is expected to return to action.
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LAST ACTION
USC picked up two wins at the Women of Troy Classic last weekend, stretching its win streak out to five in a row after a gutsy 50-47 win over Nevada ana 57-40 win over Long Beach State at Galen Center. Against the Wolf Pack, USC clawed its way out of a 10-point hole in the fourth quarter to register an impressive comeback win at. A 3-pointer in the final minute from freshman Endyia Rogers gave USC its first lead since the first quarter, while Kayla Overbeck steered the ship with her rally in the fourth. Two last free throws from the senior sealed it, and USC's victory was in the books with a 50-47 win over Nevada at the Women of Troy Classic at Galen Center. Both teams were sluggish in the first half of action, but it was the Trojans that faced the more severe struggles in shooting just 20.6 percent from the floor. Nevada was hitting at 34.6 percent, and had the added advantage of landing three 3-pointers to an empty 3-point bucket for USC. The Trojans carved the deficit down to one during the third, but Nevada clicked off 3-pointers No. 5 and 6 to pad out its lead, and the Wolf Pack was up by 10 early in the fourth. Undeterred USC mounted a 14-4 comeback in five minutes, with Overbeck accounting for half of USC's points in the rally to pull even with 4:05 to go. Endyia Rogers' 3-pointer with 28 seconds left bumped USC into the lead, and the Trojans hung on for the win. USC finished out the game shooting 37.5 thanks to the big second half in which the Trojans shot 63.6 from the floor. Nevada wrapped up at 30 percent after cooling to 26.5 in the second half. USC's impressive comeback rally was anchored by Overbeck, who scored all 13 of her points in the second half — 11 of which came in the final six minutes. USC also received a game-high 15 points from Endyia Rogers, who had 11 in the second half including that clutch 3-pointer. Alissa Pili hauled in 10 rebounds for USC. Nevada's Da'Ja Hamilton led the Wolf Pack in scoring with 11 points. The next day vs. the Beach, senior Kayla Overbeck made it back-to-back double-digit games with her team-high 15 points against the Beach, while freshman Alissa Pili tallied her fourth double-double. USC had Long Beach State doubled up on the offensive end in the first half, with the Trojans firing at a 37.5 percent clip from the floor to a chilly 14.3 percent by the Beach. A 12-0 USC surge that spanned the first and second frames build out a hefty lead for the Trojans, who led it 29-12 at halftime thanks in part to 10 points from senior Kayla Overbeck. USC heated up in the second half to finish out the game at 43.4 perfect from the floor, although Long Beach State was able to keep in scoring stride with the Trojans in the final 20 minutes. The Beach wrapped at 23.8 percent from the floor as USC held its ground for the win. USC also won out on the boards to the tune of a 49-31 advantage. Kayla Overbeck topped out with 15 points for the Trojans, with Angel Jackson scoring all 11 of her points in the second half and fellow freshman Alissa Pili locking up her fourth double-double on 10 points and a career-high-matching 13 rebounds. Long Beach State was paced by 12-point outings from Ma'Qhi Berry and Justina King.Â
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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
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THE NEW CLASS
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, with two of those young guns standing out as USC's top scorers to date. Freshmen guard Endyia Rogers leads USC with 11.4 points per game so far, while forward Alissa Pili is just a step behind, averaging 11.0 points to go along with a team-high 8.1 rebounds per game. Pili already has hauled in four double-doubles as a Trojan. Pili has fellow freshman Angel Jackson also making an impact in the paint with 8.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, while the rest of the freshman class makes for a talented back court in guards Madison Campbell, Alyson Miura, India Otto and Kyra White.Â
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STEPH SCORES A WATCH LIST SPOT
As she set up for her first season as a Trojan, grad transfer Stephanie Watts 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.
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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).
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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.Â
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
