The vision came to fruition on Sunday for USC women’s basketball. This is what head coach Lindsay Gottlieb and star player JuJu Watkins dreamed of when they both came to USC, Gottlieb a few years ago and Watkins last year. This is what any coach, and any star player, want to see when they go to a school in search of a spark.
USC women’s basketball created the first dynasty of the Women’s NCAA Tournament era, which began in 1982. USC was the first school to win multiple NCAA Tournament national championships in the 1980s thanks to Cheryl Miller and Cynthia Cooper. The program remained strong into the mid-1990s thanks to Lisa Leslie and Tina Thompson. Then, for roughly 25 years, the music and the magic stopped. The program slid into irrelevance and obscurity.
Gottlieb was sold on the idea that USC women’s basketball could rise again and become what it once was. In order for Gottlieb’s vision to emerge, she needed a transformative player. JuJu Watkins, a Los Angeles native, was right there as the top recruit in the country. Gottlieb kept her home in Southern California. One elite coach plus one elite player — and all the other decisions and roster additions flowing from them — brought USC women’s hoops to Sunday afternoon in the Galen Center. The Trojans clearly outplayed No. 2 UCLA and dealt the Bruins, a likely No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, their first loss of the season. Watkins played great. Gottlieb coached a brilliant game. The role players were terrific. The defense was lights-out. Everything came together.
USC couldn’t have — and wouldn’t have — played as well as it did without an electric, vibrant, full-house crowd at the Galen Center. USC set an attendance record for women’s basketball in its on-campus arena, which is not quite 20 years old. Over 10,600 fans packed into Galen. Everyone wanted to get in. This is what it looks like when a basketball program hits its stride and reaches its potential.
1️⃣0️⃣,6️⃣5️⃣7️⃣.
New Galen Center attendance record!! pic.twitter.com/C8KHDSeEVw
— USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) January 15, 2024
USC Athletic Director Jennifer Cohen noticed this:
Trojan Family showed up big time today! Thank you for giving this elite group of women the support they deserve.
Let’s go @USCWBB!! pic.twitter.com/J7Mb9jMCSy
— Jennifer Cohen (@ADJenniferCohen) January 14, 2024
Some industry insiders think that after making several NCAA Tournaments in a row, Andy Enfield should…
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