Galen Center used to feel a bit quiet. Honestly, for a long time, if you wanted elite hoops in Los Angeles, you went to Westwood or you hoped the Lakers were having a "on" night. But things shifted. Fast. USC women's basketball isn't just a program anymore; it’s a full-blown cultural moment that has basically hijacked the conversation in the Big Ten and across the national landscape.
It’s about JuJu. It’s about Lindsay Gottlieb’s coaching masterclass. But mostly, it’s about a legacy that sat dormant for decades finally waking up and realizing it owns the room.
The Cheryl Miller Shadow and the Long Road Back
You can't talk about the Trojans without mentioning the 1980s. It’s mandatory. Cheryl Miller, Cynthia Cooper, and the McGee twins didn't just win; they bullied the rest of college basketball into submission. Back-to-back titles in ’83 and ’84 set a bar so high it actually became a bit of a burden for every coach who followed.
For years, the program drifted. There were flashes of "okay," but "okay" doesn't cut it when your alumni are literal Hall of Famers. The move to hire Lindsay Gottlieb from the Cleveland Cavaliers—a rare "reverse" jump from the NBA back to college—was the pivot point. She didn't try to hide from the history. She leaned into it. She brought the swagger back to Figueroa Street.
JuJu Watkins and the Gravity of a Superstar
Let’s be real. Every sport needs a protagonist. In the current era of USC women's basketball, that protagonist is JuJu Watkins.
She’s a local kid from Watts. That matters. When she chose USC over every other powerhouse in the country, it sent a shockwave through the recruiting world. It signaled that you didn't have to leave LA to become a global icon. In her freshman year, she wasn't just good—she was historically dominant, breaking the NCAA freshman scoring record previously held by Tina Thompson.
Watching JuJu play is stressful for defenders. She has this way of changing speeds that feels glitchy. One second she’s walking the ball up, the next she’s at the rim, and you’re wondering where your defensive help went.
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But it’s not just the scoring. It's the gravity. Because teams have to throw two or even three defenders at her, the rest of the floor opens up. This is where Gottlieb’s system shines. She surrounds Watkins with high-IQ vets and knockdown shooters. In 2024, the addition of Kiki Iriafen through the transfer portal changed the math entirely.
Iriafen, coming over from Stanford, provides a post presence that USC hasn’t had in ages. It’s a terrifying duo. You have an elite wing who can score from the parking lot and a mobile, aggressive forward who can punish you on the block. It’s basically a "pick your poison" scenario for opposing coaches.
Navigating the Big Ten Reality Check
The jump from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten wasn't just a logistical headache involving a lot of frequent flyer miles. It was a stylistic reset.
The Pac-12 was fast and skill-heavy. The Big Ten? It’s a grind. You’re playing in cold Midwestern gyms against teams that will bump you for 40 straight minutes. But USC women's basketball adapted surprisingly well. They didn't lose their identity; they just added some muscle to it.
The rivalry with UCLA remains the heartbeat of the season, but now there are new "villains" on the schedule. Matchups against Iowa, Ohio State, and Maryland have turned into must-watch TV. The ratings don't lie. People are tuning in because the brand of basketball is just... fun. It’s fast-paced, it’s loud, and it feels like a pro game.
Defensive Identity Under Gottlieb
People obsess over the points. I get it. Highlights show the step-back jumpers and the transition layups. But if you talk to anyone around the program, they’ll tell you the real reason they’re winning is the defensive "buy-in."
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Gottlieb preaches a high-pressure, versatile defense. They switch almost everything. It requires a level of communication that usually takes years to develop, yet this squad found a rhythm quickly. It helps having elite length on the perimeter. When you have players like Rayah Marshall anchoring the paint, your guards can afford to be more aggressive because they know they have a safety net behind them.
The NIL Era and the "New" USC Brand
We have to talk about the money. In the current NCAA landscape, Los Angeles is a goldmine. USC has leveraged NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) as well as—if not better than—any other women's program in the country.
The players aren't just athletes; they're brands. You see them in national commercials, on billboards, and at high-fashion events. This isn't a distraction. It's a recruiting tool. When a 17-year-old recruit sees JuJu Watkins on a Nike poster in the middle of Manhattan, they realize that USC women's basketball offers a platform that few other schools can match.
Critics say this takes away from the "purity" of the game. Honestly, that’s nonsense. These women are working harder than ever, and they’re finally getting a piece of the massive revenue they generate. It’s fueled an arms race in college hoops, and USC is currently winning that race.
What People Get Wrong About the Trojans
A common misconception is that this is a "one-player show."
If you think USC is just JuJu and some bystanders, you aren't watching the games. The depth is what makes them a Final Four threat. It’s the role players who dive for loose balls, the backup point guards who steady the ship when the stars are resting, and the coaching staff that makes mid-game adjustments that actually work.
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Another myth? That they’re "soft" because they’re a "California team."
Spend five minutes watching a practice at the Galen Center. It’s physical. It’s loud. There’s a grit to this team that mirrors the personality of their coach. They aren't just out-skilling people; they're out-working them.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're looking to follow the program or understand where they're headed, keep these specific factors in mind:
- Watch the Shooting Splits: The Trojans are most dangerous when their secondary scorers are hitting from deep. If the defense can't collapse on JuJu, the game is usually over by the third quarter.
- The Transfer Portal is Key: USC has become a "destination" school. Expect them to continue being aggressive in the portal every off-season to plug specific holes in the roster.
- Home Court Matters: The atmosphere at the Galen Center has transformed. Attendance is up, and that energy translates to a massive home-court advantage that didn't exist five years ago.
- Schedule Strength: Pay attention to their non-conference strength of schedule. Gottlieb intentionally schedules tough opponents early to battle-test the roster for the grueling Big Ten stretch.
- Development Metrics: Look at how the freshmen evolve over the season. The mark of a great program isn't just who you recruit, but how much better they are by March than they were in November.
The resurgence of USC women's basketball is one of the best stories in sports right now. It’s a mix of nostalgia for the 80s glory days and a futuristic approach to the modern athlete. They aren't just chasing a trophy; they're redefining what it means to be a powerhouse in the modern era.
Keep an eye on the defensive rotations and the chemistry between the "Big Two." If the supporting cast stays healthy and the defense maintains its intensity, the road to the national championship will almost certainly have to go through Los Angeles. The Trojans aren't coming—they're already here.
Next Steps for Followers:
Check the current Big Ten standings to see how the Trojans match up against the top-tier Midwest programs. If you can, catch a home game at the Galen Center to see the JuJu Watkins effect in person; the energy is genuinely different from anything else in college sports right now. Focus on the defensive pressure in the first ten minutes of the game, as that usually dictates the tempo for the rest of the night.