High stakes, high emotions, high profile: USC women’s basketball prepares for Colorado clash
This is the kind of game college basketball players dream of playing. It’s No. 7 USC versus No. 11 Colorado in the latest of many Pac-12 games to feature two top-15 women’s basketball teams. The Friday night showdown in the Galen Center carries very big stakes and should be one of the fiercest games USC fans will see all season long.
USC will not host Pac-12-leading Stanford this season. The only game against the Cardinal came in Palo Alto. USC already did host Oregon State, but that game was played before the Beavers made their ascent in the Pac-12 and in the national rankings. The UCLA game is the one home game which had as much or more buzz than this game does. USC-Colorado is a big-time game loaded with all sorts of storylines. Let’s offer you a sense of how large this game is and what USC needs to do to win it:
NO. 2 SEED AT PAC-12 TOURNAMENT
POSSIBLE NO. 1 SEED IN NCAA TOURNAMENT
The winner of this game isn’t likely to get a top seed in March Madness, but a win certainly keeps the winning team in the hunt. The loser probably says goodbye to any hope of a No. 1 seed. These teams have been ranked in the top 12 the whole season. They have consistently been projected as top-three seeds. They might both be No. 2 seeds heading into this game. If they’re No. 2 seeds now, a No. 1 seed is still in play … but a win is a must for purposes of getting a top seed in a few weeks.
TIEBREAKER
Colorado won the first game against USC this season, so if the Buffaloes win here, they’ll get the head-to-head tiebreaker. USC is going for a season split, but because the Trojans and Buffs are tied in the standings, USC would take a one-game lead with a win. Oregon State has the tiebreaker over Colorado due to a sweep, and USC has the tiebreaker over Oregon State due to a sweep.
ANGRY BUFFS
Colorado is coming off a one-point loss to Utah. That loss follows a loss to Oregon State. Losing back-to-back games is a shock for a team which was a projected No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament just a few weeks ago. How will this team respond? USC must expect Colorado’s best game and the Buffs’ best effort on Friday.
BOUNCE-BACK, PART ONE: MCKENZIE FORBES
McKenzie Forbes committed late-game turnovers which helped Colorado beat USC in Boulder in January. Forbes will be intent on bouncing back for the Trojans in this game. A strong performance from Forbes significantly increases USC’s chances of winning. Expect Forbes to play well.
BOUNCE BACK, PART TWO: JUJU WATKINS
JuJu Watkins fouled out against Colorado in Boulder with 5:50 left. The call which fouled her out was a terrible call. JuJu being on the floor in the final six minutes of Friday’s game will obviously help USC. The Trojans missed her down the stretch in Boulder.
JAYLYN SHERROD VS JUJU
Colorado’s Jaylyn Sherrod fouled out JuJu Watkins by drawing a charge. JuJu obviously will want to outplay Sherrod after that incident a month ago, but it can’t be personal for JuJu. It has to be all about making the best play for the team in a halfcourt set. Staying focused on the big goal — and playing great defense — will help JuJu play the right way against Sherrod and Colorado.
ROCKFIGHT
Expect this game to be a rough, tough, defense-first game. Colorado and USC, at their best, play lights-out defense and have struggled on offense for much of the season. JuJu Watkins will need to stay out of foul trouble. USC will need to be very disciplined and not get baited into bad decisions. The Trojans also need to share the ball and make sure Kayla Padilla gets good looks at the basket.
