Honestly, if you looked at the women’s USC basketball schedule back in October and thought you knew how this was going to go, you were probably kidding yourself. We all were. The Trojans entered this year with the kind of hype that usually crashes and burns under its own weight, but Lindsay Gottlieb has kept this ship steady through some seriously choppy waters.
Losing JuJu Watkins to an ACL tear before the season even really got moving was a gut punch. Let's not sugarcoat it. Watching the 2025 Naismith Player of the Year sit on the bench in a tracksuit instead of dropping 30-pieces at the Galen Center has changed the entire vibe of the Big Ten.
But here we are in mid-January 2026, and the schedule is getting brutal.
The Gauntlet: Breaking Down the January and February Slate
If you’re looking to catch a game, the next few weeks are basically a "who’s who" of top-tier collegiate talent. The Trojans just came off a heartbreaking stretch where they dropped three straight—losses to Oregon, Minnesota, and a tough 62-55 battle against No. 12 Maryland.
It’s been a reality check.
But the women’s USC basketball schedule doesn't slow down for anyone. Here is what the immediate horizon looks like if you're planning your life around tip-off times:
- January 18 vs. Purdue: This is a big one at the Galen Center. 2:00 p.m. PT. After the Maryland loss, the Women of Troy desperately need a "get right" game at home before they hop on a plane.
- The Michigan Road Trip: On January 22, they’re at Michigan State (5:00 p.m. PT), followed by a Sunday matinee at Michigan on January 25. Big Ten travel is no joke, and playing in East Lansing and Ann Arbor back-to-back is a legitimate test of depth.
- January 29 vs. Iowa: This is the one everyone circled. It’s WNBA & Alumni Night. Even without the JuJu vs. Caitlin Clark vibes of yesteryear, the Hawkeyes coming to Los Angeles is a massive draw. Expect a sell-out.
- February 1 vs. Rutgers: A Sunday afternoon clash (2:00 p.m. PT) that starts a critical February push.
The schedule is dense. 18 conference games in total, and since USC is in year two of the Big Ten experiment, the travel miles are starting to show. You can't just drive down the 5 freeway to play Stanford or Cal anymore. Now, it's snow boots and red-eyes to Minneapolis.
Who is Stepping Up? (Because Someone Had To)
With JuJu out, the "next man up" philosophy has been pushed to the absolute limit. Jazzy Davidson, the freshman phenom, hasn't just been good—she’s been carrying the scoring load with a maturity that’s actually kind of scary.
She’s currently leading the team in scoring (16.4 PPG) and rebounding (6.9 RPG). More impressively? She has a 16-game streak with at least one block. She’s essentially playing like a veteran while still figuring out where her classes are on campus.
Then you have Kara Dunn. She went off for 27 points against Minnesota. When she’s hitting those three-pointers, USC looks like a Final Four contender. When she’s cold? Things get stagnant. Kennedy Smith has also been the glue, leading the team in assists. It’s a different brand of basketball than the JuJu-iso-heavy sets we saw last year. It’s more democratic. More frantic.
The UCLA Rivalry and the Regular Season Finish
The "Home & Away" series with UCLA remains the crown jewel of the women’s USC basketball schedule. We already saw the first meeting on January 3, and... well, it wasn't pretty. An 80-46 loss at Pauley Pavilion left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth.
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The rematch is the regular-season finale.
March 1 at the Galen Center. That game will likely have massive implications for the Big Ten Tournament seeding. UCLA is currently sitting pretty in the top five, and USC is fighting to stay in the ranked conversation. If the Trojans can split the series, it changes the entire narrative of the season heading into Indianapolis for the conference tournament (March 4-8).
Real Talk: The Big Ten Adjustment
Is the travel killing them? Maybe a little.
USC is 10-6 right now. Last year, they were dominant. But the Big Ten is a physical grind. Playing teams like Maryland and Indiana—who bring a specific type of East Coast toughness—is a different animal than the old Pac-12 style.
The Trojans are currently middle-of-the-pack in conference standings, but their "Galen Gold Out" games and "Legends Weekends" are still pulling in huge crowds. The brand is strong, even if the record has taken a slight hit without their superstar.
What You Should Do Next
If you’re a fan or just someone trying to jump on the bandwagon, here is the move:
- Check the Peacock schedule. A lot of these Big Ten games aren't on traditional cable. The Maryland game was a Peacock exclusive, and several road games will follow suit.
- Grab tickets for the Iowa game (Jan 29). It’s the best atmosphere you’ll find in LA sports right now outside of a Lakers playoff game. Tickets start around $12, but they won't stay that way.
- Watch the defensive rotations. This team wins when they force 15+ turnovers. If they aren't turning people over, they struggle to score in the half-court.
The women’s USC basketball schedule is entering its most defining stretch. Whether they can survive the road trips to Illinois and Ohio State in February will determine if they’re hosting a first-round NCAA tournament game or traveling as a double-digit seed. It’s stressful, it’s exciting, and honestly, it’s exactly why we watch.