In their first game without JuJu Watkins, the USC Trojans women’s basketball team survived a tough battle with Kansas State, winning 67-61 to advance to the Elite Eight. They will face Paige Bueckers and UConn on Monday night.
The No. 1 Trojans are in the Elite Eight for the second consecutive season, but they had a tough night shooting. Kennedy Smith led the Trojans with 19 points while freshman Avery Howell matched her career-high 18 points to go along with 8 boards, 4 steals and assist. Kiki Iriafen struggled, putting up just 7 points on 3-of-13 shooting. She did pull down 8 rebounds, dish out an assist and nab a steal.
The No. 5 Wildcats were trying to get to the Elite Eight for just the second time ever. Serena Sundell had a game-high 22 points, Ayoka Lee added 12 and Jaelyn Glenn added 10.
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USC vs. Kansas State score in 4Q
The Trojans held on to a 67-61. Freshman Avery Howell has provided them with a boost, matching her career-high with 18 points. Kennedy Smith has 19, Rayah Marshall has 18 Kiki Iriafen has 7. Howell has also pulled down 8 boards and nabbed 4 steals.
FOLLOW THE MADNESS: NCAA women’s basketball scores, schedules, teams and more.
Kennedy Smith stats
Kennedy Smith has 19 points (7-of-13 shooting), 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals for the Trojans.
Serena Sundell stats
Kansas State‘s Serena Sundell has gotten to the free throw line 11 times tonight, sinking 10, to go along with 6-of-11 shooting for 22 points.
USC vs. Kansas State score in 3Q
The Trojans went on a 12-0 run in the third quarter to take a 48-45 lead. Kiki Iriafen is up to 6 points for USC, although it’s been a tough night shooting for her (3-of-12 from the floor). Rayah Marshall has 6 points and 6 boards, while Avery Howell has 11 on 4-of-6 shooting. Kennedy Smith leads USC with 14 points.
Serena Sundell has 18 points, 10 coming off free throws, for the Wildcats and Jaelyn Glenn has 10.
USC vs. Kansas State score at halftime
The Wildcats led the Trojans 30-28 at halftime. For the Wildcats, Temira Poindexter logged 6 points, Serena Sundell had 8, Jaelyn Glenn put up 9, and Zyanna Walker scored 3. For USC, Kennedy Smith scored 11, Avery Howell had 6 and Rayah Marshall and Kiki Iriafen had 2 apiece.
Women’s March Madness bracket
Here’s the Elite Eight schedule.
- No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 2 Duke, Sunday, 1 p.m. on ABC
- No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 3 LSU, Sunday, 3 p.m. on ABC
- No. 1 Texas vs. No. 2 TCU, Monday, 7 p.m. on ESPN
- No. 2 UConn vs. USC/Kansas State winner, Monday, 9 p.m. on ESPN
USC women’s basketball vs. Kansas State score after 1Q
The Trojans held a 16-9 advantage after the opening quarter. Kennedy Smith led all scorers with 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including 1-of-3 from 3, in the frame.
USC women’s basketball roster
The Trojans were led all season by JuJu Watkins before she suffered a season-ending knee injury. But Kiki Iriafen showed what she’s capable of with her 36-piece in the second round; she averages 18.6 a game on the season to go along with 8.5 rebounds. Kennedy Smith (9.2), Rayah Marshall (7.4) and Avery Howell (7.1) are also key contributors. Here is the full USC women’s basketball roster.
Kiki Iriafen stats
USC forward Kiki Iriafen stepped up in a big way when JuJu Watkins went down in the second round of the NCAA women’s tournament. Iriafen recorded a team-high 36 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks in the 96-59 victory over No. 9 Mississippi State. The senior averages 18.6 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. She shoots 50.6% from the floor and 30.8% from 3.
How tall is Kiki Iriafen?
Kiki Iriafen is 6-foot-3.
JuJu Watkins shirt
The Trojans are rocking pregame Nike shirts with JuJu Watkins on them.
“It just was a team decision that we love her, and we know she’s watching at home,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said pregame. “We got her back. We know her imprints are all over this program and we are going to channel her energy today and fight for USC.”
Kansas State women’s basketball roster
The Wildcats are led by center Ayoka Lee, Serena Sundell and Temira Poindexter. Lee leads the team in scoring with 15.6 points per game, to go along with 6.4 rebounds and 2 blocks; Sundell averages 13.9 points, 7.3 assists and 1.1 steals per game while Poindexter, who shoots 40.5% from 3, records 12.7 points per game. Here is the full Kansas State women’s basketball roster.
JuJu Watkins injury: What to know
The superstar USC guard suffered a season-ending knee injury in a second-round game against Mississippi State. Here’s everything you need to know about her injury and recovery timeline.
What grade is JuJu Watkins in?
JuJu Watkins is a sophomore at USC.
Where is JuJu Watkins from?
Watkins is from Los Angeles.
What time is USC’s game today vs. Kansas State?
The Trojans and Wildcats tip off at 8 p.m. ET.
Where to watch USC vs. Kansas State
ESPN is airing the game.
USC vs. Kansas State women’s basketball predictions
- Nancy Armour, USA TODAY: USC
- Cora Hall, Knoxville News-Sentinel: USC
- Meghan L. Hall, For The Win: USC
- Cydney Henderson, USA TODAY: USC
- Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY: USC
- Cory Diaz, Lafayette Advertiser: Kansas State
- Maxwell Donaldson, The Gadsden Times: USC
