The USC women’s basketball team knows what it does really well. It defends the ball, guards the 3-point line, and avoids shooting fouls. When those components are all in place, USC usually thrives, as it has for most of the season. When one of those cornerstones doesn’t exist, the foundation can crumble, as it did against Oregon State in the Pac-12 Tournament.
USC’s simple formula is to not allow extra possessions or cheap points. That limits opponents’ opportunities and forces teams to go through the Trojans’ rugged halfcourt defense to win games. It’s a sound formula.
However, unlike a lot of Pac-12 teams, South Dakota State has a souped-up offense. If SDSU does get on a roll, this game will be hard to manage for USC. The Trojans have made comebacks against good Pac-12 teams (19 down to win against Washington State in late February) because they know the scouting report and can ride out a hot streak in one quarter. They can be strong for the other 30 minutes of a game and find their way back. It might not be the case with South Dakota State.
Here are five game keys for Friday evening’s contest:
South Dakota State’s Myah Selland makes a pass over the head of Omaha’s Polina Nikulochkina in the Summit League women’s championship on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls.
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Myah Selland is the heart and soul of this South Dakota State team. She is the leading scorer and second in rebounds and also leads the team in steals, so she can do a little bit of everything.
Jan 8, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans center Clarice Akunwafo (34) and UCLA Bruins forward Emily Bessoir (11) reach for a rebound in the second half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
This is a big key: USC needs to come out and get in front of the game. South Dakota State has all the momentum, and they enter with a 21-game winning streak and they haven’t lost since December 19. If USC gets down early, it might be a long game for Lindsay Gottlieb’s team.
Oct 25, 2022; San Francisco, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans forward Kadi Sissoko (30) poses during Pac-12 Women’s Basketball Media Day at the Pac-12 Network Studios. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Kadi Sissoko needs to put USC on her back much as she did in the Pac-12 Tournament loss to Oregon State. Sissoko led…
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