No. 1 Southern Cal is on the court tonight in a Sweet 16 matchup against No. 5 Kansas State. But the Trojans are without superstar guard JuJu Watkins, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the second round on Monday.
USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb has the Trojans in the Sweet 16 for the second straight season, and forward Kiki Iriafen is coming off a 36-point performance in the second round.
USA TODAY Sports is bringing you live updates, scores, highlights and analysis throughout the game. Follow along.
USC vs. Kansas State score at halftime
The Wildcats lead the Trojans 30-28 at halftime.
FOLLOW THE MADNESS: NCAA women’s basketball scores, schedules, teams and more.
For the Wildcats, Temira Poindexter has 6 points, Serena Sundell has 8, Jaelyn Glenn has 9, Zyanna Walker has 3. For USC, Kennedy Smith has 11, Avery Howell has 6 and Rayah Marshall and Kiki Iriafen have 2 apiece.
Kennedy Smith stats
Nearly through the first half, Kennedy Smith has 11 points (5-of-9 shooting) and 2 rebounds for the Trojans.
Women’s March Madness bracket
Here’s the Elite Eight schedule.
- No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 2 Duke, Sunday, 1 p.m. on ABC
- No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 3 LSU, Sunday, 3 p.m. on ABC
- No. 1 Texas vs. No. 2 TCU, Monday, 7 p.m. on ESPN
- No. 2 UConn vs. USC/Kansas State winner, Monday, 9 p.m. on ESPN
USC women’s basketball vs. Kansas State score after 1Q
The Trojans held a 16-9 advantage after the opening quarter. Kennedy Smith led all scorers with 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including 1-of-3 from 3, in the frame.
USC women’s basketball roster
The Trojans were led all season by JuJu Watkins before she suffered a season-ending knee injury. But Kiki Iriafen showed what she’s capable of with her 36-piece in the second round; she averages 18.6 a game on the season to go along with 8.5 rebounds. Kennedy Smith (9.2), Rayah Marshall (7.4) and Avery Howell (7.1) are also key contributors. Here is the full USC women’s basketball roster.
Kiki Iriafen stats
USC forward Kiki Iriafen stepped up in a big way when JuJu Watkins went down in the second round of the NCAA women’s tournament. Iriafen recorded a team-high 36 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks in the 96-59 victory over No. 9 Mississippi State. The senior averages 18.6 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. She shoots 50.6% from the floor and 30.8% from 3.
How tall is Kiki Iriafen?
Kiki Iriafen is 6-foot-3.
JuJu Watkins shirt
The Trojans are rocking pregame Nike shirts with JuJu Watkins on them.
“It just was a team decision that we love her, and we know she’s watching at home,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said pregame. “We got her back. We know her imprints are all over this program and we are going to channel her energy today and fight for USC.”
Kansas State women’s basketball roster
The Wildcats are led by center Ayoka Lee, Serena Sundell and Temira Poindexter. Lee leads the team in scoring with 15.6 points per game, to go along with 6.4 rebounds and 2 blocks; Sundell averages 13.9 points, 7.3 assists and 1.1 steals per game while Poindexter, who shoots 40.5% from 3, records 12.7 points per game. Here is the full Kansas State women’s basketball roster.
JuJu Watkins injury: What to know
The superstar USC guard suffered a season-ending knee injury in a second-round game against Mississippi State. Here’s everything you need to know about her injury and recovery timeline.
What grade is JuJu Watkins in?
JuJu Watkins is a sophomore at USC.
Where is JuJu Watkins from?
Watkins is from Los Angeles.
What time is USC’s game today vs. Kansas State?
The Trojans and Wildcats tip off at 8 p.m. ET.
Where to watch USC vs. Kansas State
ESPN is airing the game.
USC vs. Kansas State women’s basketball predictions
- Nancy Armour, USA TODAY: USC
- Cora Hall, Knoxville News-Sentinel: USC
- Meghan L. Hall, For The Win: USC
- Cydney Henderson, USA TODAY: USC
- Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY: USC
- Cory Diaz, Lafayette Advertiser: Kansas State
- Maxwell Donaldson, The Gadsden Times: USC
