The Terps host the Trojans for a highly-anticipated top-10 matchup
No. 8 Maryland women’s basketball faces a higher ranked opponent for the first time this season Wednesday when it hosts No. 4 USC.
Wednesday’s game will tip-off at 8:30 p.m. from Xfinity Center and will be on Fox Sports 1.
“These are the games that are a reason a lot of these kids come here to play,” head coach Brenda Frese said.
No. 4 USC Trojans (14-1, 0-0 Big Ten)
2023-24 record: 29-6, 13-5 Big Ten
Under head coach Lindsay Gottlieb, USC has become one of the premier programs in the sport through her four years in Southern California. Last year, she led the Trojans to the Elite Eight and the Pac-12 Tournament championship.
USC has only one loss this season, which came against No. 3 Notre Dame in late November. But a win over then-No. 4 UConn, 72-70, on Dec. 21 solidified the Trojans as a top-five team.
Players to watch
JuJu Watkins, sophomore guard, 6-foot-2, No. 12 — Watkins is one of the best players in all of women’s college basketball, along with being one of the most notable players in the sport. She ranks third in the country with 25.1 points per game on 45% shooting from the field, a slight tick down from her 27.1 points per game last year. Watkins also averages 6.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists this season.
“It starts with [Watkins],” Frese said. “No. 2 in the country in blocks, third in the country in scoring. Both her and [Kiki Iriafen] are very difficult matchups.”
Kiki Iriafen, graduate student forward, 6-foot-3, No. 44 — Iriafen is in her first season with USC after three years at Stanford that culminated in her winning the Katrina McClain Award for best power forward in the nation. This season, she averages 17.9 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game, while shooting 51.8% from the field. She is one of the best upperclassmen in the nation and an elite second option for USC.
Kennedy Smith, freshman guard, 6-foot-1, No. 11 — Smith has missed some time this season, only appearing in eight games. She was ESPN’s No. 6-ranked recruit in her class and averages 9.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game, with a 45.3% shooting percentage. Last game, Smith scored 19 points against Rutgers to help USC coast to a 50-point victory.
“So talented, when you talk about just a freshman,” Frese said. “You can see as she’s gotten back in the lineup, what she’s been able to do to elevate that team from a defensive end. Her length, her athleticism, and another massive piece on the perimeter with her size and athleticism alone.”
Strength
Scoring. Statistically, Maryland and USC are very similar in what they’re good at and not so good at. USC averages the 12th-most points per game in the country with 84.4, which is second-best in the Big Ten. Maryland ranks 13th in the nation with 83.7 points per game, which is third-best in the Big Ten. The Trojans are also shooting 46.5% from the field and 32.4% from deep.
Weakness
Bench. USC’s bench has been somewhat lackluster this season. The Trojans average 18.5 bench points per game, which is tied 204th in the nation. Only 21.9% of USC’s total 1,266 points have come from its bench. The only significant bench pieces for USC are freshmen Kayleigh Heckel, who has started seven games and averages 6.7 points per game, and Avery Howell, who averages 5.8 points per game.
Three things to watch
1. A battle of Co-Big Ten Players of the Week. This past week, the Big Ten announced Kaylene Smikle and Watkins as Co-Big Ten Players of the Week. The two stars lead their respective teams in scoring and are among the top five scorers in the Big Ten.
2. Will the white-out lift the Terps? Xfinity Center will be in white-out mode Wednesday, and it should be interesting to see what type of crowd the Terps get with students still on winter break.
3. Can the Terps contain Watkins? The biggest question heading into Wednesday is how Maryland will fare against Watkins. She is one of the best players in the sport and possesses skill unlike anyone Maryland has faced this season. Containing her will be crucial.
“Focusing on the head of the snake, [Watkins] is a really great player,” Saylor Poffenbarger said. “We’re going to have to contain her. She’s going to get tough shots. But I think going against a team like this with players like this is what … we come here to do. It’s just going to continue to show the toughness and resilience that our team has.”