No. 9 Seed USC Women's Basketball Outlasts No. 8 Clemson in NCAA Overtime Thriller 71-67

Saturday, March 21

Columbia, S.C.

12:30 p.m.

USC

18-13,9-9Big Ten

Clemson

21-12,11-7ACC

OT 1

Southern California

Clemson

Photo by: Katie Chin

No. 9 Seed USC Women's Basketball Outlasts No. 8 Clemson in NCAA Overtime Thriller 71-67

March 21, 2026 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Highlights

Trojans set to face No. 1 seed South Carolina in the Second Round on Monday.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — No. 9 seed USC women's basketball delivered a gritty, back-and-forth performance to defeat No. 8 seed Clemson 71-67 in overtime during the First Round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday. In a game that featured 19 lead changes and seven ties, USC leaned on timely runs, defensive pressure and a historic night from freshman Jazzy Davidson to survive and advance. The Trojans advance to face No. 1 seed and host South Carolina in the Second Round on Monday, looking to avenge a loss from earlier this season.

Clemson came out firing, jumping ahead 6-0 before USC settled in behind transition offense. Kara Dunn got the Trojans on the board with a fast-break three, and Londynn Jones followed with a layup to stop the early surge. USC generated 7 fast-break points and 10 points in the paint in the opening quarter, closing on an 8-2 run to trail just 14-13 after one. The Trojans grabbed their first lead early in the second when Dunn knocked down another three and Davidson soon took over. The freshman scored nine straight points during a key stretch and either scored or assisted on 20 of USC's 26 first-half points, keeping the Trojans within striking distance despite trailing 28-26 at the break.

Out of halftime, Davidson continued to lead the charge, scoring USC's first five points of the third quarter, including a three-point play to briefly give the Trojans the lead. Clemson responded with a push of its own, building a seven-point cushion late in the period before Dunn converted a three-point play to cut the deficit to four entering the fourth. USC shot an efficient 50 percent in the third and began to find rhythm offensively, setting the stage for a dramatic final period.

The Women of Troy opened the final frame with a 5-0 run to reclaim the lead, and the teams traded baskets down the stretch. A jumper from Kennedy Smith tied the game at 56-56, and moments later, Davidson followed her own miss for a go-ahead layup. Dunn delivered in the clutch with a late layup and free throw to give USC the edge, but Clemson responded at the line to knot the game at 61-61 with 50 seconds remaining. Both teams had chances in the closing seconds, but neither could convert, sending USC to its first overtime game of the season.

In overtime, Davidson once again answered the call, drilling a clutch three-pointer to tie the game at 64-64 before USC seized control. The Trojans put together a decisive 8-0 run, holding Clemson to just 2-of-9 shooting in the extra period. USC's defense forced tough looks while continuing to capitalize on turnovers, finishing with 19 forced giveaways in the game. Free throws from Kennedy Smith and Malia Samuels in the final seconds sealed the 71-67 victory, marking USC's first NCAA Tournament overtime win in program history.

Davidson's 31-point performance not only marked her 29th double-figure game of the season, but also the second-most points ever by a Trojan in an NCAA Tournament game. She added six rebounds and five assists, becoming the first freshman in 25 years to record a 30-5-5 stat line in an NCAA Tournament debut. Dunn complemented her with 22 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter, while Smith added 12 points, six rebounds, and three steals. Laura Williams anchored the defense with three blocks as USC outscored Clemson 32-26 in the paint and 20-16 off turnovers.

With the win, USC improves to 3-1 against ACC opponents this season and earns its third straight NCAA Tournament First Round victory. The Trojans now turn their attention to South Carolina, with a chance to avenge an early-season loss and punch a ticket to the Sweet 16 on Monday. The game time will be announced in the next 24 hours.

Main Takeaways

Today's win marked USC's third-straight season with an NCAA First Round win.
Today's 71-67 win is the program's first NCAA Tournament overtime victory. It was also USC's first NCAA Tournament overtime game since March 17, 2023 against South Dakota State.
Today marked the first overtime game of the season for USC and first for the Trojans since March 8, 2024 (USC beat UCLA 80-70 in 2OT)
The Trojans are now 1-0 all-time against Clemson and 3-1 against ACC opponents this season.
With the win, USC advances to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament for the 14th time in program history.
With 31 points today, FR Jazzy Davidson recorded her 29th double-figure performance of the season. Her 31 points are the most by a USC freshman in an NCAA Tournament game and the second most by a Trojan in NCAA Tournament history. Davidson also added six rebounds and five assists to contribute an extra 12 points.
Davidson is the first freshman with 30/5/5 in an NCAA Tournament debut in the last 25 years. She is also the fifth Trojan to record 20+, 5+ and 5+ assists in an NCAA Tournament game along with Cynthia Cooper, Cheryl Miller, Lisa Leslie and JuJu Watkins
SR Kara Dunn recorded 22 points with 11 in the fourth quarter
R-FR Laura Williams recorded three blocks on defense for the Trojans, marking her seventh game this season with three or more blocks.