UCONN Visits USC
Saturday afternoon at a sold-out Galen Center feels less like a non-conference game and more like a Final Four dress rehearsal. UConn comes in as the clear favorite to win the 2026 national championship, while USC is widely viewed as the program most likely to own 2027. Unfortunately for the Trojans, the timelines don’t quite line up yet: the Huskies are already fully formed, while USC is still one year away from rolling out what could be the most talented roster in the history of women’s college basketball.
That doesn’t mean this USC group is overmatched. The Trojans are 7–2 and absolutely capable, led by dazzling freshman Jazzy Davidson, the front-runner for national freshman of the year. Davidson doesn’t just score; she’s leading USC in points, rebounds, blocks, and assists, the rare rookie who controls every possession on both ends. Beside her is super-sophomore Kennedy Smith, who might already be the best perimeter defender in the country. Smith will likely draw the Azzi Fudd assignment for long stretches, and her ability to chase Fudd through screens, contest without fouling, and survive in transition will dictate how long USC can hang.
Kara Dunn and Londynn Jones give the Trojans additional scoring punch, and they’ll need to be aggressive from the jump. If USC is going to trade punches with this UConn offense, Dunn and Jones can’t just be complementary; they have to hit shots early and often. The Trojans also enter with a mini-subplot: for the second straight game they face a player who left L.A. Last time out they handled Washington and former Trojan Avery Howell 59–50. Now they see former USC guard Kayleigh Heckel, who should get an enthusiastic reception from the Galen crowd.
The problem for USC is simple: UConn just has too many weapons. Fudd and Sarah Strong have been borderline unfair, combining for over 36 points, 13 boards, and 8 assists per game. Strong is the best player in the country right now, a matchup nightmare who can stretch the floor, punish switches, and dominate the glass. Over 40 minutes, that kind of star power usually wins out.
Expect USC to ride the energy of a packed building and deliver its most inspired effort of the year. But unless the Trojans shoot out of their minds, UConn’s depth, experience, and two-headed superstar combo should eventually wear them down and create separation late.
