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The USC Trojans are set to make their Big 10 Conference debut in the 2024-25 college basketball season. With a star-studded roster led by All-Pac 12 honorees JuJu Watkins, Rayah Marshall and graduate transfers Kiki Iriafen and Talia Von Oelhoffen, the Trojans are aiming to surpass the 29-6 record it had last season and their Elite Eight finish in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
USC takes Big 10 debut seriously, strengthens team in offseason
Following the dissolution of the Pac-12, USC transferred to the Big 10 along with Oregon, UCLA and Washington. USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb knew that they'd be in for a tough ride in their new conference and the Watkins-Marshall tandem wouldn't be enough to contend with the strong teams in the division, which includes back-to-back national championship runners-up Iowa, Indiana, Michigan State, Nebraska and Ohio State.
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The coaching staff stepped up recruitment during the offseason to strengthen the team going into the Big 10 Conference wars. USC acquired two of the top-ranked players available in the transfer portal in Kiki Iriafen and Talia Von Oelhoffen.
The 6-foot-3 Iriafen played three seasons with the Stanford Cardinal and was coming off a breakout 2023-24 season, where she averaged 19.4 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. The incoming senior shot 54.6% from the field and 77.9% from the free throw line in her final season with Stanford before transferring to USC.
Gottlieb knows she'll need a playmaker to set up Watkins, Marshall and Iriafen, and to be the second voice on the court. The veteran coach got what she wanted in former Oregon State Beavers star Talia Von Oelhoffen, who tallied 10.7 ppg, 4.1 rpg and 5.0 apg in 35 games last season.
The USC coaching crew wasn't done yet. They thought of sustaining it for the long run so they also acquired high school players Rian Forestier, Kayleigh Heckel, Avery Howell, Vivian Iwuchukwu, Brooklyn Shamblin, Kennedy Smith and Laura Williams.
The haul of prep players the Trojans acquired was the top-ranked freshman class in the nation, boosting the team's assets as they play for the Big 10 starting in November.
Notable USC 2024-25 Big 10 schedule
USC will be tested in December with its meeting with former Pac-12 foe Oregon on Dec. 7. The Trojans will have their Big 10 home debut against Michigan on Dec. 29 at Galen Center and will play on New Year's Day against Nebraska.
They'll be in for an East Coast swing on Jan. 5 and 8 as they'll visit Rutgers and Maryland, respectively. Lindsay Gottlieb and Co. come back home to Galen Center to host Penn State (Jan. 12) and Nebraska (Jan. 15).
They'll then go to Indiana the following week to take on Indiana (Jan. 19) and Purdue (Jan. 22) before a three-game stretch where they will play host to Minnesota on Jan. 30 and visit Iowa and Wisconsin in the first week of February.
The Trojans will also clash with Ohio State (Feb. 8) at home and rival UCLA on Feb. 13. They'll conclude the regular season with a rematch against the Bruins on Mar. 1.
The Big 10 Conference Tournament will be held at Gainbridge Fieldhouse from March 5-9.
USC stands as Big 10 favorites this season
With their big-time roster boost during the offseason, the Trojans are one of the three favorites to win the offseason, according to odds presented by Fox Sports. USC is given a +450 odds to win the national championship, which is third behind UConn's +400 and South Carolina's +160.
The Trojans are expected to rely heavily on their Big Four — Juju Watkins, Rayah Marshall, Kiki Iriafen and Talia Von Oelhoffen. But coach Lindsay Gottlieb knows that to have a sustained attack for the whole season, she needs to insert new blood.
Gottlieb could test her freshman class and find out who will be suited for the stretch run without affecting its top quartet. Overall, the USC Trojans are expected to win the Big 10 regular season title with ease, with only UCLA and Iowa playing the role of chasers to the inevitable run by USC next season.
Will the USC Trojans dominate the Women's Big 10 Conference next season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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