For many schools that clinched a spot in the NCAA Women’s tournament, earning the No. 1 seed is a dream, achievable only by being one of the best basketball teams in the country.
But for Lindsay Gottlieb and the USC Trojans, their specific No. 1 seed felt like a slap in the face: they were given the top spot in Spokane 4, technically the lowest ranking of all the No. 1s, behind UCLA, South Carolina and Texas.
It’s the team’s second consecutive tournament as a No. 1, and they’re still looking to secure their first national title since 1984. The Trojans will face No. 16 UNC Greensboro first, and with a win would play the winner of the 8-9 game between California and Mississippi State matchup in the second round.
“For me I never thought I’d be a one seed, and I feel disrespected,” Gottlieb said. “I thought there would be very little chance we would be the No. 4 overall. We got a big game here on Saturday against UNCG and we’ll handle it accordingly, but you tell me if you think that bracket that we got should have been the one that it was.”
USC’s path seems simple enough early on, but they stand to face off against No. 2 seed UConn and Paige Beukers in the Elite 8, which is exactly where USC’s journey ended last year in an 80-73 loss to the Huskies.
UConn hass reached the the Final Four in three of the last four seasons and in 15 of the last 16 NCAA Tournaments. They seek their 24th Final Four under Auriemma as well as their 12th national championship and first since 2016.
Getting to play at home to open the tournament is a positive for the Trojans despite the tough path that awaits them.
“It’s not lost on us at all that we’ve earned a one seed for the second year in a row,” said Gottlieb. “I think there’s so much gratitude to be playing at home, excitement for what we’re going to do.”
The Trojans won the Big Ten regular season title, beat UCLA twice during the regular season and finished 28-3 overall, but lost to the Bruins in the Big Ten tournament championship.
Gottlieb seemed frustrated that the Trojans were given the toughest region in the bracket, one that features UConn, No. 3 Oklahoma and No. 6 Iowa, who already beat the Trojans by seven this year, giving USC its first conference loss and ending their 15-game win streak.
“You tell me if you think that bracket that we got should have been the one that it was,” said Gottlieb. “But this was not on my bingo card — to be frustrated after being a one seed.”
Led by star JuJu Watkins, who is averaging 24.6 points and 6.9 rebounds while playing 35 minutes a game, the Trojans look to better their March Madness run from last year, which was their deepest in 25 years. Watkins has score 30 or more points six times this season, including a 40-point game against California Baptist.
But the Trojans aren’t one dimensional. Kiki Iriafen has been up there with Watkins all season, averaging 18.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, a high-level scorer who brings physicality, athleticism and control to her game in the paint. She can shoot mid-range, and on defense is both a rim protector and can guard on the perimeter.
Gottlieb is confident in her team’s ability to compete with anyone in the field, but the decision to put the Trojans as the lowest of the No. 1 seeds after their successful season was one that just did not make sense to the USC head coach, especially with the Bruins as the No. 1 overall seed despite the Trojans beating them twice this season.
JuJu Watkins’ Brilliance Was Too Much as USC Beats UCLA — Again
USC beat cross-town rival UCLA 80-67, giving the Trojans the Big Ten regular season title. And Los Angeles bragging rights.
“It’s not arrogance of any kind. I think there’s a lot of really good teams, and you’ve got to play the first game in front of you and earn your way from there, and that’s what we’ll do. But sometimes I don’t understand how people make decisions in women’s basketball…and certainly, with this committee, I’d love to ask some questions,” said Gottlieb. “I mean, just none of it makes sense to me.”
If successful enough in the tournament, the Trojans have the chance for one more Battle of Los Angeles this season, proving that they are the team from California to beat.
But March is never that simple, and the road to Tampa Bay starts at Galen Center on Saturday afternoon.
“That being said, we’re super excited to be playing at home. We have some really good teams coming here to Galen. That’ll be exciting and, every game, you’ve got to take one game at a time,” said Gottlieb. “If there’s a little extra motivation for a team that’s already a one seed, we’re going to have it.
