USC Women’s Basketball 2025 NCAA Tournament Capsule
March 5, 2025 · CSM Staff
USC Trojans
Big Ten (28-3, 17-1)
Big Wins: 12/21 at Connecticut (72-70), 3/1 at UCLA (80-67)
Bad Losses: 11/23 Notre Dame (61-74), 2/2 at Iowa (69-76)
Coach: Lindsay Gottlieb
Probable Starters:
Kiki Iriafen, Senior, Forward, 18.2 ppg, 8.3 rpg
Rayah Marshall, Senior, Center, 7.3 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.9 bpg
Talia von Oelhoffen, Senior, Guard, 6.0 ppg, 3.4 apg
Kennedy Smith, Freshman, Guard, 9.5 ppg, 2.1 apg, 4.4 rpg, 2.1 spg
JuJu Watkins, Sophomore, Guard, 24.6 ppg, 3.5 apg, 6.9 rpg, 2.2 spg, 1.9 bpg
Key Role Players:
Clarice Akunwafo, Senior, Center, 1.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg
Malia Samuels, Sophomore, Guard, 2.4 ppg, 1.3 apg
Avery Howell, Freshman, Guard, 6.8 ppg
Kayleigh Heckel, Freshman, Guard, 5.8 ppg, 1.8 apg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 81.9 (9th in nation, 1st in conference)
Scoring Defense: 58.4 (54, 2)
Field-Goal Percentage: 44.7 (58, 10)
Field-Goal Defense: 35.6 (9, 2)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 7.0 (108, 6)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 32.9 (114, 12)
Free-Throw Percentage: 77.8(17, 4)
Rebound Margin: 7.6 (19, 3)
Assists Per Game: 17.5 (23, 7)
Turnovers Per Game: 14.7 (98, 8)
Recent Postseason Appearances:
| 2024 | NCAA | Round of 64 win over Texas A&M-CC |
| 2024 | NCAA | Round of 32 win over Kansas |
| 2024 | NCAA | Regional Semifinal win over Baylor |
| 2024 | NCAA | Regional Final loss to Connecticut |
| 2023 | NCAA | Round of 64 loss to South Dakota State |
| 2014 | NCAA | Round of 64 loss to St. John’s |
| 2011 | NIT | Round of 64 win over UC Santa Barbara |
| 2011 | NIT | Round of 32 win over Nevada |
| 2011 | NIT | Regional Semifinal win over BYU |
| 2011 | NIT | Regional Final win over Colorado |
| 2011 | NIT | National Semifinal win over Illinois State |
| 2011 | NIT | National Final loss to Toledo |
| 2006 | NCAA | Round of 64 win over South Florida |
| 2006 | NCAA | Round of 32 loss to Duke |
| 2005 | NCAA | Round of 64 win over Louisville |
| 2005 | NCAA | Round of 32 loss to Michigan State |
| 2000 | NIT | First Round win over Santa Clara |
| 2000 | NIT | Second Round loss to Colorado State |
| 1997 | NCAA | Round of 64 win over San Francisco |
| 1997 | NCAA | Round of 32 loss to Florida |
*all team stats through 3/6
