USC faced a challenging opening in their NCAA tournament debut against North Carolina Greensboro, with erratic passing and missed shots. JuJu Watkins, the standout sophomore, recovered from an injury scare to lead her team with 22 points as they gradually improved. Despite a slow offensive start, the Trojans' strong defense—especially a pivotal full-court press—was crucial in crushing Greensboro, holding them to just 25 points overall. As they advance to the next round, the team aims to enhance their performance against tougher opponents.
JuJu Watkins winced, shaking her left hand, the collective basketball world holding its breath. The first 10 minutes of USC's tournament debut had been disconcerting enough already.
A smothering USC press would eventually put a stop to Greensboro's plucky start. And the Trojans would eventually roll through their first-round opponent with a convincing 71-25 win.
USC's defense that ultimately made the difference. With the Trojans leading by just a bucket, early in the second quarter, coach Lindsay Gottlieb enacted a full-court press.
Even as USC's bigs towered over most of Greensboro's lineup, the 16th-seeded Spartans still managed to make life difficult for Kiki Iriafen, doubling her on entry passes.
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