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After a 2023–24 season that reminded everyone how much JuJu Watkins hates losing, USC’s front office made sure their star had more help. The Trojans built what Watkins herself called a “superteam.” They landed the nation’s top recruiting class, headlined by top-10 recruit Kennedy Smith, then went out and grabbed Kiki Iriafen, ESPN’s No. 1 transfer, along with Talia von Oelhoffen from the portal. That squad didn’t quite go all the way, but they definitely redefined what fear looks like in opponents’ eyes. With that, entering this year, USC is all locked in on nabbing its first national title in 41 years. However, everything’s about to look a lot different. Watkins recently announced she’ll sit out the entire 2025–26 season to recover from the injury she suffered during the 2025 NCAA Tournament. And that’s not all. The Trojans are also losing without Kiki Iriafen (6’3″, Gr. F), Talia von Oelhoffen (5’11”, Gr. G), and Rayah Marshall (6’4″, Sr. C/F). The only returning starter is 6’1″ sophomore guard Kennedy Smith. So, is Smith now the new voice of leadership in the locker room without Watkins? Well, the answer is a little simple, and a lot more complicated than that. When Lindsay Gottlieb was asked the same, she had Smith’s name as an obvious answer. In the same breath, though, she made it clear that it’s going to take the entire team. In an interview with NBC Sports, , the HC said, “I think that speaks I think quiet a bit on who she is and what she brings as much as the stats. Like the fact that no one else can replace her. We’re not gonna ask anyone else to do what she can do. But the idea that now there’s a program that still expects to win when she’s out, expects to win when she’s back and then expects to win when she’s a WNBA All-Star. That I think, just should be part of her legacy too.” With Juju’s absence confirmed for the entire season, the Trojans are not expected to match the lofty standards set last year. They are ranked fifth in the Big Ten preseason polls, and many expect them to finish as a 4th or 5th overall seed with a chance to reach as far as the Sweet Sixteen. However, the HC further clarified why she’s not putting much weight behind the preseason stuff. “Preseason kind of polls and rankings actually don’t mean very much to me because they don’t count for anything and people don’t really know, right? They don’t have a good look. But what’s interesting, I think, is I I still think people expect us to be towards the top of this conference, but there wasn’t anyone from our team on a preseason allconference team, which means it’s we got to do it as a group, right? I do think we’ll end up having people on all conference teams if I had to guess, but I think we have to do it as a group, right?” she said. Well yes, the group has to do it and Gottlieb sounded confident, especially while talking about the additions. Through the portal, USC brought in- 6-5 Jr. F Yakiya Milton (Auburn) 5-11 Sr. G Kara Dunn (Georgia Tech) 5-4 Sr. G Londynn Jones (UCLA) 6-3 So. F Dayana Mendes (Washington State) Besides that, USC just landed a big-time pickup, 6’1″ guard Jazzy Davidson, a five-star recruit from Oregon. The hope is she’ll make waves early, just like Watkins did in her debut season. So, the two seniors, Dunn and Jones, with Smith, will be tasked with leading the locker room. Talking about the committee, Gottlieb emphasized how the production will likely come “by committee” rather than through a single dominant player. With the departures of key contributors like Iriafen, who was capable of putting up 20 points and 10 rebounds a night, and longtime Trojan Marshall, the team will rely on a deeper, more athletic rotation. That group includes Yakiya Milton, Vivian Iwuchukwu, Laura Williams. USC also added Gerda Raulusaityte and Dayana Mendes. Still and all, there is one preseason thing the coach cares about. Lindsay Gottlieb feels ‘disrespected’ USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb didn’t exactly light up with excitement when she saw how the tournament bracket played out, especially with UConn ending up on the same side as her team. When the NCAA women’s tournament field was announced on Sunday, the Trojans snagged a No. 1 seed, the fourth overall. Still, Gottlieb felt that spot didn’t quite reflect what her team had earned. She didn’t hide her frustration when speaking with reporters after the reveal, making it clear she thought the seeding showed a lack of respect for her squad. “I never thought I’d be a one seed and feel disrespected..But I thought there would be very little chance we would be the No. 4 overall No. 1. We’ve got a big game here on Saturday against UNCG. We’ll handle it accordingly. But you tell me if you think that bracket that we got should’ve been the one that it was,” Gottlieb said. USC joins UCLA, South Carolina, and Texas as the four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA women’s tournament. UCLA, the top overall seed, dropped both regular-season matchups against the Trojans but got revenge in the Big Ten title game. In the latest AP poll, USC sits at No. 4 nationally, behind UCLA, South Carolina, and UConn, matching its spot as the tournament’s fourth No. 1 seed. However, advanced metrics paint a different picture. The NET rankings list USC sixth overall, trailing UConn, South Carolina, Texas, UCLA, and Notre Dame, suggesting the Trojans’ top-seed status might be a bit generous. The bigger controversy centers on UConn’s placement. By nearly every metric, including analytics and betting odds, the Huskies were worthy of a No. 1 seed. Oddsmakers even gave UConn (+275) the second-best championship odds, just behind South Carolina (+270). That means USC could face a powerhouse UConn team earlier than expected, something Lindsay Gottlieb likely isn’t thrilled about without Watkins.
