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USC Women's Basketball Earns NCAA Tournament Bid
Trojans to face Clemson in opening round after up-and-down season
Mar. 16, 2026 at 12:52am
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The USC women's basketball team has earned a No. 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament's Regional 4 and will face No. 8 seed Clemson in the opening round on Saturday in Columbia, South Carolina. This comes after an up-and-down season for the Trojans, who lost star player JuJu Watkins to a knee injury early on, forcing them to rely on standout freshman Jazzy Davidson to carry the team.
Why it matters
USC's tournament appearance marks the fourth straight year the Trojans have made the Big Dance, though they will face an uphill battle as a lower seed playing away from home against Clemson. A win would set up a potential rematch with No. 1 seed South Carolina, who beat USC handily earlier in the season.
The details
The Trojans opened the season 10-3, with losses to No. 1 seeds Connecticut and South Carolina. But they struggled in Big Ten play, losing six of seven games at one point before a late-season rally. USC ultimately ended the regular season on a four-game losing streak and was bounced in the first round of the Big Ten tournament.
- USC will face Clemson in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, March 22, 2026.
- The Trojans lost to No. 1 seed South Carolina in November 2025.
The players
JuJu Watkins
USC's injured superstar who missed the entire 2025-26 season due to a knee injury.
Jazzy Davidson
The standout freshman who led USC in points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals this season and was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
What’s next
A win over Clemson would set up a potential rematch with No. 1 seed South Carolina, who beat the Trojans handily earlier this season.
The takeaway
Despite the loss of their star player and an up-and-down regular season, USC's women's basketball team has shown resilience to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament. However, the Trojans face an uphill battle as a lower seed playing away from home against Clemson, with a potential matchup against the dominant No. 1 seed South Carolina looming if they advance.
