Kiki Iriafen stats today - How did the USC star fare vs Mississippi State in March Madness? (March 24)

USC Trojans forward Kiki Iriafen nearly matched her career high in points for a game during her team's win on Monday, March 24. As the top seed in Spokane Regional 4, Iriafen and Co. beat the ninth-seeded Mississippi State Bulldogs 96-59 for their second-round victory in this year's March Madness competition.

In just 31 minutes of playing time, Iriafen dropped a game-high 36 points on an uber-efficient 16-of-22 overall clip, good for an impressive 72.7%. She also had nine rebounds to go with two assists and two blocks.

The Trojans went off for an 11-0 start against their opponent, where Iriafen found ways to contribute with defense and her scoring. But, it was at this quarter when leading scorer JuJu Watkins went down with her now infamous season-ending injury, so Iriafen had to double her production.

With this, USC kept the charge to the tune of a dominant 28-8 score by the end of one.

Iriafen kept the pressure on in the second period by immediately converting a successful and-one play at the 9:21 mark. Throughout the quarter, the Stanford Cardinal transferee was a force on the interior by securing boards and making baskets inside, as the Bulldogs' defense could not stop her.

She then propelled her squad to a comfortable 23-point edge, 50-27, by the end of the half.

It truly became Iriafen's game as she got right back in the scoring column to open the third period. In fact, in the midst of the quarter, the senior scored three straight baskets near the rim. Keeping the pressure on Mississippi State, who were looking to take advantage with Watkins out, the Lindsay Gottlieb-coached team still had a sizeable edge, 75-42, heading into the layover quarter.

Although the fixture was already far away in USC's favor, Iriafen was still giving it her all by opening the final frame with a successful putback. As she was still padding on points through the period, Iriafen eventually subbed out of the remainder of the matchup at the 6:29 mark. With this, the Trojans took home the 96-59 victory on their home floor.

Check out Kiki Iriafen's stats from the win on Monday.

Player	MP	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	FG	3-PT	FT	TO	PF
Kiki Iriafen	31	36	9	2	0	2	16-22	0-1	4-4	3	2

The USC Trojans post 30 total wins for the 2024-2025 season

With how Kiki Iriafen and Co. showed out in the national tournament second round victory on Monday, the USC Trojans officially reached 30 wins in the 2024-2025 season. They've only had three losses through the campaign, as this mark nets the program with their most victories for a year since the 1980s.

Even without their star player in JuJu Watkins, the Trojans will continue to fight to take home the national title. Their Sweet 16 matchup will be the fifth-seeded Kansas State Wildcats on Saturday, March 29.