LOS ANGELES \u2013 No. 3 USC women’s basketball opens the 2026-27 regular season under the bright lights of Las Vegas, taking on UNLV on Monday, Nov. 2, at T-Mobile Arena. The neutral-site Hall of Fame series matchup tips off at 1 p.m. PT and will air nationally on CBS Sports Network.<\/p>\n
The Women of Troy enter the new campaign with a deep and talented roster headlined by the return of senior JuJu Watkins<\/a>, reigning national freshman of the year Jazzy Davidson<\/a> and the nation’s No. 1 incoming recruit, Saniyah Hall<\/a>. USC will look to set the tone for a highly anticipated season against a UNLV program that has established itself as a consistent contender in the Mountain West Conference.\u00a0<\/p>\n RECRUITING ROYALTY: USC welcomes the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class for second time in three years, continuing head coach Lindsay Gottlieb<\/a>‘s run of elite recruiting. Gottlieb has landed the nation’s No. 1 recruit in three of the last four years, adding G\/F Saniyah Hall<\/a> in 2026, following G JuJu Watkins<\/a> (2023) and G Jazzy Davidson<\/a> (2025). The Trojans also bolstered their roster with skilled international recruits C Sara Okeke<\/a>, F Sitaya Fagan<\/a>, and G\/F Alesia Talkouskaya<\/a> and transfers G Ryann Bennett<\/a> (UC Davis) and C Pania Davis<\/a> (Florida State).\u00a0<\/p>\n WELCOME BACK, JUJU: Senior G JuJu Watkins<\/a> returns to action after missing the 2025-26 season due to injury. Nov. 2 (season-opener) will mark 588 days since Watkins appeared in a regulation NCAA basketball game (injured March 24, 2025).\u00a0<\/p>\n During the 2024-25 season, Watkins swept the nation’s top individual honors, winning the Naismith Trophy, John R. Wooden Award, USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Year award and AP National Player of the Year award. Watkins enters the 2026-27 season as the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year and an All-Big Ten selection.<\/p>\n She enters 2026-27 with 1,709 career points through just 67 games as a Trojan.<\/p>\n TALL ORDER: The Women of Troy boast an average team height of 6-foot-1, with nine out of 12 players taller than 6-foot. This year’s team is the tallest in USC women’s basketball history and the Big Ten this season. Three Trojans stand at 6-foot-4 or taller: F Sitaya Fagan<\/a> (6’4), C Sara Okeke<\/a> (6’5) and C Pania Davis<\/a> (6’6).\u00a0<\/p>\n ALL-AMERICAN AGAIN: Senior G JuJu Watkins<\/a> was selected as an AP Preseason All-American for the second time in her career, following her recognition ahead of the 2024-25 campaign. Watkins was a unanimous AP All-America First Team selection during the 2024-25 season, joining Courtney Paris and Maya Moore as the only players in history to earn first-team honors as both freshmen and sophomores.<\/p>\n ALL THAT JAZZ: After earning USBWA and WBCA National Freshman of the Year honors in 2025-26, sophomore G Jazzy Davidson<\/a> returns for a highly anticipated second season for the Women of Troy. The only Division I player to lead her team in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks last season, Davidson averaged 17.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 2.0 steals and 2.0 blocks per game while starting all 32 contests for the Trojans as a true freshman.<\/p>\n The Portland, Oregon, native was also the only player in Division I basketball (men’s or women’s) to average at least 2.0 steals and 2.0 blocks per game. Davidson earned All-Big Ten First Team, Big Ten All-Defensive Team and Big Ten All-Freshman Team recognition and was the only freshman selected to the All-Big Ten First Team.<\/p>\n DEFFENEDY SMITH: Junior G Kennedy Smith<\/a> has established herself as one of the Big Ten’s strongest two-way players. An All-Big Ten Defensive Team selection in 2025-26, Smith averaged 11.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.9 steals while starting 29 games. She finished the season with 54 steals and 31 blocks, including a USC season-high six blocks alongside a career-high 20 points against Illinois. One of the conference’s strongest two-way players, Smith consistently elevated her play against top competition, scoring in double figures in seven games against ranked opponents.\u00a0<\/p>\n MCDONALD’S ELITE: Freshman G\/F Saniyah Hall<\/a> is the latest Trojan to be named a McDonald’s All-American, following a standout high school career. USC’s roster features a total of four McDonald’s All-Americans. Trojan sophomore G Jazzy Davidson<\/a> and junior G Kennedy Smith<\/a> earned the distinction in 2025 and 2024, respectively, while senior G JuJu Watkins<\/a> also received the honor in 2023.\u00a0<\/p>\n USA GOLDEN GIRLS: Four Trojans have won gold medals in international competition with Team USA. JuJu Watkins<\/a> captured gold at the 2021 FIBA Americas U16 Championship and 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup, earning MVP honors at both events. Kennedy Smith<\/a> won gold at the 2024 FIBA U18 AmeriCup and 2025 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup. Jazzy Davidson<\/a> owns three gold medals, winning at the 2024 FIBA U18 AmeriCup (alongside Smith), 2024 FIBA 3×3 U18 World Cup and 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup. Davidson was joined on the 2025 U19 championship team by Saniyah Hall<\/a>, who earned tournament MVP honors after setting a USA U19 World Cup record with 19.9 points per game. Hall also won gold at the 2024 FIBA 3×3 U18 World Cup.<\/p>\n AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE: USC’s frontcourt features two Australian standouts in freshman Sitaya Fagan<\/a> and senior transfer Pania Davis<\/a>. Fagan, a Melbourne native and graduate of Basketball Australia’s Centre of Excellence, was selected to the Australian Senior National Opals team in May 2026 after an accomplished junior international career that included four medals. The 6-foot-4 forward won gold and earned MVP honors at the 2025 FIBA U17 Women’s Oceania Cup and helped Australia claim silver at the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup. Davis, a 6-foot-6 center from Perth, Western Australia, joined the Women of Troy after competing at Florida State and New Mexico Junior College.<\/p>\n SPANISH SENSATION: Freshman Sara Okeke<\/a> arrives at USC as one of the most decorated international prospects in the 2026 class. The 6-foot-4 forward\/center from Madrid led Spain to gold at the 2025 FIBA U18 Women’s EuroBasket, earning tournament MVP and All-Star Five honors after averaging 13.8 points and 7.1 rebounds while shooting 57% from the field. Okeke also earned All-Star Five recognition at the 2024 FIBA U17 Women’s World Cup and represented Spain on the World Select Team at the 2026 Nike Hoop Summit. USC Athletics<\/p>\n SMITH THE SERVANT LEADER: USC’s Kennedy Smith<\/a> was selected as a recipient of the Kay Yow Servant Leader Award last season and returns as a Servant Leader this season for the Women of Troy . The award recognized student-athletes who exemplify the values of leadership, selflessness and service, embodying the Hall of Fame basketball coach Kay Yow. Smith is joined by a cohort of other women’s basketball players across the nation. Award recipients are distinguished by a special patch on their game- worn jerseys, symbolizing their role as servant leaders. The patch embodies the character traits of Kay Yow \u2013 uplifting, powerful, drawing and giving strength.<\/p>\n Last season, Smith helped raise over $10,000 for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.<\/p>\n THE PLACE TO BE: The University of Southern California is the undeniable, unmatched, and unquestioned destination for talented student-athletes to reach their fullest potential in all that they do. USC is both home to 138 national team championships and a top-ranked private research institution. Located in the heart of the Los Angeles metropolitan area, it is situated in one of the most diverse and visible media markets in the world. USC’s campus is driving distance from the beautiful beaches of Southern California, the majestic mountains ranges of the Sierra Nevada, the sprawling splendor of the Redwood and Sequoia national forests, and the mysterious Mojave Desert. The student-athlete experience at the University of Southern California is truly unmatched.<\/p>\n NOTEWORTHY NEWS
\nA WIN WOULD\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nUSC IN LAS VEGAS | 4-2 RECORD – LINDSAY GOTTLIEB ERA<\/p>\n
\nTHE NEXT CHAPTER: 50 YEARS OF USC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
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\n\tUSC is the first school since Baylor in 2011 to have two USBWA Freshman of the Year award winners on the same team. JuJu Watkins<\/a> won the award her first season in 2024 and Jazzy Davidson<\/a> took home the award in 2026. Previous pairs to win the award and play together on court include Brittney Griner and Odyssey Sims (Baylor ), Tina Charles and Maya Moore (UConn), Chamique Holdsclaw and Tamika Catchings (Tennessee)
\n\tWatkins and Davidson have made history before even stepping foot on the court together as USC is the fourth school in women’s college basketball history to feature a Wooden Award winner and a USBWA\/WBCA National Freshman of the Year.\u00a0
\n\tSixth year head coach Lindsay Gottlieb<\/a> boasts a 111-50 record leading the Women of Troy. Gottlieb was the fastest coach in program history to hit 100 wins as a USC women’s basketball head coach.\u00a0
\n\tSenior G JuJu Watkins<\/a> enters the season with 1,709 career points, the most ever scored by an NCAA Division I women’s player through her first two seasons. Her 21 career 30-point performances rank second in USC history, four shy of Cheryl Miller’s program record of 25.
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\n\tBe USC’s 12th straight season-opening win
\n\tHelp USC improve to 39-11 all-time in season-openers\u00a0
\n\tBe the 895th win in program history (894-580)
\n\tBe head coach Lindsay Gottlieb<\/a>‘s 112th win at USC (111-50)
\n\tBe head coach Lindsay Gottlieb<\/a>‘s 347th win as a head coach (346-178)
\n\tExtend USC’s win streak in Sin City to five straight games
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\n\tMarch 2, 2022 \u2014 UCLA, L, 60-73 (Pac-12 Tournament)
\n\tMarch 1, 2023 \u2014 Oregon State, L, 48-56 (Pac-12 Tournament)
\n\tNov. 6, 2023 \u2014 No. 7 Ohio State, W, 83-74 (Hall of Fame Series)
\n\tMarch 7, 2024 \u2014 Arizona, W, 65-62 (Pac-12 Tournament)
\n\tMarch 8, 2024 \u2014 No. 7 UCLA, W, 80-70 (2OT) (Pac-12 Tournament)
\n\tMarch 10, 2024 \u2014 No. 2 Stanford, W, 74-61 (Pac-12 Tournament championship)
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\nUSC enters its 51st season of competition in 2026-27 while celebrating the 50-year anniversary of a program that first took the court in 1976-77 under head coach Marci Cantrell. From Linda Sharp and the championship teams of the 1980s to Cheryl Miller, Cynthia Cooper, the McGee sisters, Lisa Leslie, Tina Thompson and today’s Women of Troy, USC’s standard has remained connected across generations.<\/p>\n