Top 5 takeaways from USC vs Kansas State as JuJu Watkins-less Trojans secure thrilling win over Wildcats

The USC Trojans, coached by Lindsay Gottlieb, are moving on to their second straight Elite Eight after their awe-inspiring win on Saturday. As the top seed of Spokane Regional 4, the Trojans pulled away from a gutsy effort from the fifth-seeded Kansas State Wildcats to win the Sweet 16 matchup 67-61.

What's even more impressive about this victory is that USC was without sophomore star JuJu Watkins, who suffered a season-ending right ACL injury during the team's second-round victory on Monday over the Mississippi State Bulldogs, 96-59.

The Trojans will now match up against a storied program and one that is national championship-hungry in the second-seeded UConn Huskies, where it was supposedly the final showdown between Watkins and senior sensation Paige Bueckers.

Nevertheless, let's take a look at five key takeaways from the Sweet 16 matchup of USC and Kansas State, alluding to how the Trojans will fare next.

---

Top 5 takeaways from USC vs Kansas State in the 2025 Sweet 16

#5 The USC Trojans are deep

Even with JuJu Watkins out and hometown stalwart KiKi Iriafen not having her best outing, the USC Trojans as a whole showed that they possess a deep roster with remarkable talent. Freshmen duo Avery Howell and Kennedy Smith were masterful in the victory, as they combined for 37 points, 18 and 19 respectively, while starter Rayah Marshall chipped in 10 markers of her own.

Meanwhile, Kayleigh Heckel was a respectable spark off the bench as she contributed eight points. Along with the offensive production, USC held off Kansas State from scoring in the latter stages of the hotly contested matchup, showing how deep the team is on both ends of the floor.

#4 USC won the defensive battle outside, while the Wildcats won it inside

Gottlieb's squad deployed a pesky defense on the perimeter, with their collective of guards and wings amounting to 10 steals for the game, six more than the Wildcats' four swipes. This shows the kind of intense backcourt defense the Trojans can bring.

However, they may opt to take a look at how they can improve their interior defense, as Kansas State had six blocks overall, doubling that of USC's. The Wildcats also won the total rebounding battle, 39-37.

#3 Both teams posted below-average shooting percentages

Given that the stakes are much higher in the 2025 March Madness Sweet 16 matchup, both teams did not let their opponents score easy baskets. In fact, both schools posted relatively low shooting percentages overall: the Trojans had 38.5-33.3-68.8 shooting splits, while the Jeff Mittie-coached Kansas tallied 41.1-31.3-76.9 splits.

The Wildcats won the field goal percentage battle, but USC still ended up winning. Gottlieb and Co. may need to look into their 3-point consistency moving forward to stand a better winning chance.

#2 Fourth-year standout Kiki Iriafen will have to step up

Stanford Cardinal transfer Kiki Iriafen stepped up tremendously during the Trojans' second-round matchup with Watkins succumbing to her injury in just the first quarter. Iriafen matched her career high with 36 points on 16 of 22 overall shooting, along with nine rebounds, two dimes and two swats in 31 minutes played.

But it was a whole different story in the Sweet 16 game as Iriafen only dropped seven markers on just a 3-for-13 clip, eight caroms, an assist and a steal in 38 minutes logged. If the Trojans intend to go all the way to the NCAA championship game, then the forward will have to step up consistently as she's shown.

#1 The Trojans are ready for the bright lights of March Madness

Despite losing their second-year sensation for the rest of the postseason run in Watkins, the Trojans, as a team, showed that they can still hang with the best of them and move forward. In recent years, the program has turned its reputation around and become one of the premier ones in the nation.

Whether or not they advance past the Elite Eight, USC has a bright future with Watkins having at least two more years of eligibility left. But if there was any indication shown in their Sweet 16 matchup, the Trojans are ready to bring it against the UConn Huskies, presumably looking to avenge last year's loss.