No. 7 USC overpowered No. 8 Ohio State on Saturday night, pulling away for an 84-63 victory at the Galen Center. The Trojans (21-2, 11-1 Big Ten) controlled the glass, shut down Ohio State’s perimeter game, and pulled away late to secure a win over the Buckeyes (20-3, 9-3 Big Ten).
👀 MORE: Final stats from No. 7 USC vs. No. 8 Ohio State
Kiki Iriafen put on a show and led USC with 24 points and 13 rebounds. Meanwhile, her teammate JuJu Watkins overcame a slow start to finish with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Kennedy Smith also notched a double-double with 13 points and 13 boards. The Trojans dominated inside, out-rebounding Ohio State 62-30 and blocking 10 shots from the Buckeyes.
Ohio State started strong defensively, forcing five early turnovers and holding USC scoreless for the first four minutes. However, the Buckeyes couldn’t capitalize, managing just a three-point lead as their offense stalled. By the second quarter, USC began finding its rhythm and took a 34-26 lead into halftime.
The Buckeyes came out aggressive in the third quarter, briefly trimming the deficit to single digits. But USC responded with a 7-0 run, punctuated by Watkins’ first field goal of the game after missing her first 11 shots. That surge pushed the lead to 14, and USC never let Ohio State back in the game.
AND ONEEE KENDAWGGGG ‼️
📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/y3OaFAjhYu
— USC Women’s Basketball (@USCWBB) February 9, 2025
Taylor Thierry led the Buckeyes with 14 points, five rebounds and five steals, while Cotie McMahon had 13 points and Chance Gray had 12. But Ohio State struggled from the field, shooting just 29% overall and 2-of-11 from three-point range.
With the win, USC has all the momentum going into their rivalry game against top-ranked UCLA on Thursday, Feb. 13. Ohio State returns home to face Minnesota next week.
