USC Women’s Basketball Face Key Questions to Answer Without Juju Watkins

Watkins’ torn ACL, suffered during the NCAA Tournament, robbed USC of the Big Ten’s leading scorer and one of the nation’s most electrifying young guards.

Iriafen’s jump to the WNBA — where she quickly became a Rookie All-Star with the Washington Mystics — compounded the loss.

Together, they averaged over 41 points per game and were two of the Big Ten’s top five scorers.

With both gone, USC loses not only its offensive firepower but also its leadership, pace, and playmaking — the very elements that helped the Trojans lead the Big Ten in scoring last season at 80.7 points per game.

Transfer Portal Reinforcements

Head coach Lindsay Gottlieb didn’t stand still this offseason. She went to work in the transfer portal to fill the void, adding proven collegiate scorers and versatile playmakers.

Kara Dunn, a 6-foot wing from Georgia Tech, headlines the incoming group after averaging 15.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game last season.

Dunn brings scoring versatility and experience that USC desperately needs on the perimeter.

Joining her is former UCLA guard Londynn Jones, who posted 8.5 points per game and provides a much-needed combination of speed, shooting, and on-ball pressure.

Inside, the Trojans added frontcourt depth with Washington State transfer Dayana Mendes and Auburn forward Yakiya Milton, both expected to help stabilize a rotation that was gutted by departures.

Still, replacing the combined offensive output of Watkins and Iriafen is no easy task.

Of USC’s returning players, sophomore Kennedy Smith is the top returning scorer at just 9.5 points per game — ranking outside the top 50 in the conference last season.

That reality underscores just how steep the climb will be.

Enter Jazzy Davidson — The Next Star in Line

The player who could define USC’s ceiling this season is freshman guard Jazzy Davidson. Ranked the No. 1 overall recruit in ESPN’s 2025 class, Davidson steps into the program with both opportunity and expectation.

At Clackamas High School in Oregon, Davidson averaged 29.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.3 steals per game her senior year.

She was a four-time Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year and finished her prep career as the all-time leading scorer in Class 6A history with 2,726 points.

Now, she’s being thrust into a starring role far earlier than planned — tasked with carrying a scoring load that once belonged to Watkins.

Her poise, pace, and shot creation could make her one of the Big Ten’s most impactful freshmen from day one.

The Road Ahead

USC’s preseason rank at ninth in the Big Ten feels less like a slight and more like a cautious projection. There’s undeniable talent on this roster, but also a clear lack of continuity and proven star power.

If Dunn and Jones can anchor the offense, Smith takes a leap, and Davidson blossoms into a capable lead scorer, Gottlieb’s group has enough upside to stay in NCAA Tournament contention.

But until Watkins returns — or unless the Trojans can prove they can still defend and score at an elite level without her — skepticism will linger.

For a program that has risen fast under Gottlieb, this season is less about dominance and more about durability.

USC’s next chapter begins with finding out who steps forward when the spotlight fades — and who keeps it shining until Juju returns.