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USC Women's Basketball Defeats Illinois 70-62
Freshman Jazzy Davidson and sophomore Kennedy Smith lead the Trojans to a road victory.
Feb. 8, 2026 at 7:31pm
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Freshman Jazzy Davidson scored a career-high 27 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, and dished out 8 assists, while sophomore Kennedy Smith added 20 points and 6 blocked shots as the USC women's basketball team defeated Illinois 70-62 on the road. The Trojans led by as many as 19 points in the second half before Illinois made a late push, but USC held on for the victory.
Why it matters
This win on the road against a Big Ten opponent is an important conference victory for the USC women's basketball team as they look to improve their standing in the Pac-12 and make a push for the NCAA Tournament. The strong performances by Davidson and Smith also highlight the young talent on the Trojans' roster.
The details
USC jumped out to a 23-13 lead after the first quarter, with Smith scoring 7 points in a 9-0 run to open the game and Davidson adding 8 points and 4 assists. The Trojans extended their lead to 37-23 at halftime and then pushed it to 19 points in the second half before Illinois made a late rally, cutting the deficit to 64-58 with 2:09 remaining. But Davidson and Smith combined to make 5 free throws in the final minute to secure the victory for USC.
- The game was played on Sunday, February 9, 2026.
The players
Jazzy Davidson
A freshman guard for the USC women's basketball team who scored a career-high 27 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, and dished out 8 assists in the win over Illinois.
Kennedy Smith
A sophomore forward for the USC women's basketball team who scored 20 points and had 6 blocked shots in the victory over Illinois.
Kara Dunn
A player for the USC women's basketball team who scored 14 points in the win over Illinois.
Laura Williams
A player for the USC women's basketball team who had 6 points and 10 rebounds in the victory over Illinois.
Destiny Jackson
A player for the Illinois women's basketball team who scored 17 points in the loss to USC.
What they’re saying
“This was a big conference win for us on the road. Jazzy and Kennedy really led the way with their outstanding performances.”
— Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, USC Women's Basketball Head Coach
What’s next
USC will look to build on this road victory as they continue their Big Ten conference schedule. Their next game is at home against Michigan on February 14th.
The takeaway
The strong showings by young stars Jazzy Davidson and Kennedy Smith indicate a bright future for the USC women's basketball program, as they picked up an important conference win on the road against Illinois.
