USC women's basketball falls to Ohio State in close battle

Trojans' six-game winning streak snapped in 88-83 loss to Buckeyes

Feb. 23, 2026 at 2:24pm

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The USC women's basketball team suffered their first loss in nearly a month, falling 88-83 to Ohio State on the road. Despite a valiant effort, the Trojans were unable to overcome a 27-19 fourth quarter deficit, snapping their six-game winning streak.

Why it matters

This loss drops USC to 17-10 on the season and 9-7 in Big Ten play, but the Trojans showed they can compete with one of the top teams in the country and will look to bounce back as March Madness approaches.

The details

USC kept the game close throughout, but Ohio State's 15-0 run in the fourth quarter proved to be the difference. Sophomore Dayana Mendes emerged as an unlikely contributor for the Trojans, scoring 13 points off the bench.

  • USC had not lost since a 73-67 defeat at Michigan nearly a month ago.
  • The Trojans will play their final road game of the regular season on Wednesday when they visit Penn State.

The players

Lindsay Gottlieb

The head coach of the USC women's basketball team.

Dayana Mendes

A sophomore player for the USC women's basketball team who scored 13 points off the bench against Ohio State.

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What’s next

The Trojans will look to bounce back when they visit Penn State on Wednesday for their final road game of the regular season.

The takeaway

Despite the loss, USC showed it can compete with top teams in the country, and the emergence of Dayana Mendes as a contributor off the bench could be a key development for the Trojans as they prepare for the postseason.