Trojans are no match for No. 1 UConn

LOS ANGELES — USC knew exactly what it was signing up for when No. 1 UConn walked into the Galen Center. This game was never about protecting a record. It was about confronting a standard.

In a 79-51 loss at Galen Center, the Trojans were tested by the sport’s most accomplished program. While the score reflected the gap, the intent behind the matchup told a more important story.

USC scheduled UConn on purpose

Postgame, head coach Lindsay Gottlieb made it clear this type of schedule is not something the Trojans are backing away from. Games against UConn, South Carolina, Notre Dame and UCLA are part of USC’s long term vision. Not obstacles, but requirements.

“This is what it feels like,” Gottlieb said. “You don’t get to where you want to be by avoiding it.”

For a brief stretch, USC showed why it wanted this test. But the Huskies took control of the game early. Against elite teams, small mistakes do not stay small. USC paid the price.

Missed finishes in the paint turned into second chance points. Live ball turnovers fueled UConn’s transition attack. UConn scored 26 points off of turnovers committed by the Trojans. 

“You can’t guard them off live ball turnovers,” Gottlieb said. “It’s really hard in transition.”

Paint pressure and pace set the tone

UConn finished with 44 points in the paint, repeatedly breaking down USC’s defense with straight line drives and well timed cuts. Once the Huskies established interior pressure, everything else followed.

USC struggled to generate consistent offense in response. When perimeter shots did not fall, the Trojans could not manufacture enough easy looks to slow the game down.

Kennedy Smith carried much of the offensive load, emerging as USC’s most reliable scorer and often the only Trojan in double figures as the game progressed. Her aggression kept USC competitive early, but against UConn’s depth, sustained production proved difficult.

Depth was the difference

The game shifted further when benches came into play.

UConn’s depth did not just maintain intensity. It elevated it. Bianca Quiñonez brought immediate impact off the bench, applying pressure defensively and attacking decisively on offense. Her energy extended UConn’s runs rather than merely sustaining them.

She logged 20 minutes, a reflection of UConn’s comfort playing deep into its rotation. The Huskies finished with multiple players scoring in double figures, underscoring the balance that has defined their championship pedigree.

USC, by contrast, is still developing that kind of bench consistency. That gap showed as the game wore on.

Lessons for a young core

Freshman Jazzy Davidson faced one of her toughest assignments of the season, drawing constant defensive attention from a UConn team that made her work for every touch. While her offensive output did not match previous performances, the experience was exactly the kind USC sought by scheduling a game like this.

“She’s faced top teams early,” Gottlieb said. “That’s good for her.”

Davidson stayed engaged defensively and continued to compete, a sign of growth even when the numbers were not favorable. Any chance for a reset after halftime faded quickly.

UConn opened the third quarter shooting efficiently and pushing the pace, turning defensive stops into offense. The Huskies shot 55 percent in the period, stretching the lead as USC struggled to regain rhythm.

By the fourth quarter, the outcome was clear. USC shot 27.3 percent in the final frame, unable to slow a UConn team that never let its foot off the gas.

More than a loss

The defeat marked USC’s first home loss of the season, but it came in front of 9,035 fans, a crowd that reflected the program’s rise and national relevance. Just a few seasons ago, USC was not regularly scheduling or hosting games of this magnitude, making Saturday’s matchup and the crowd it drew a clear marker of the program’s growth.

That is why Gottlieb was not discouraged by the result, even as she acknowledged the disappointment.

“You don’t get there by shying away from this,” she said.

The gap is real. So is the direction.