A JuJu less Southern Cal opened Big Ten play with a grindy 59-50 win over the Washington Huskies. The Trojan’s were led by 6’1” freshman forward Jazzy Davidson notching 22 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks in 38 minutes.
SC then traveled to Lincoln upending the Huskers on the strength of a 29-point third quarter. Davidson’s 17 points and 8 rebounds were more than matched by 6’1” sophomore Trojan guard Kennedy Smith’s 17 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists.
The “maybe we can do this without JuJu mood” was quickly altered by a trip to UCLA where the Bruins put a 46-80 beat down on So Cal. Head coach Lindsay Gottlieb was not pleased:
"Obviously, this is not where our team wants to be in a game like this," Gottlieb said. "I think our team feels it, you know, everything from disappointment to embarrassment. But we own it, and they were a better team today. They were better by a lot. ... We'll get back to work and take it on the chin."
So, the Women of Troy welcomed Oregon to LA opening a 37-21 half time lead. Then SC took it on the chin again when the Ducks outscored them 50-29 the rest of the way for a 71-66 victory. Gottlieb’s assessment:
“We came out like we’d arrived, like we had it in the bag,” Gottlieb said. “We were too casual.”
Starting guard Kara Dunn a 5’-11” senior averaging 12.8 and 5,5 rebounds was more direct:
“I think that it’s time we make a change,” guard Kara Dunn said. “We have to have a change of heart, a change of mind.”
Southern Cal lugs some heavy baggage and some bad JuJu into Williams Arena on Sunday afternoon. And to pile on, staunch defender Kennedy Smith who missed the Oregon game is listed as day to day.
