Although the South Carolina Gamecocks are picked by many to win the national championship in women's basketball this season, USC will have something to say about that. My hot take of the week is that the USC Trojans women's basketball team will be the last team standing next April. At the end of the season, they will be cutting down the nets and bringing USC a title.
Game 1 against UNLV was a great reflection of how good this team is. Their three number one recruits finally shared the court together, and it was special. Juju Watkins, in her long-awaited return, had 21 points in limited minutes. Saniyah Hall, the newest Trojan, scored 22 points, only missing one shot, and grabbed 7 boards in her debut. She has star written all over her. Jazzy
Davidson ran the show last season and kept the Trojans dangerous. In her season debut, she had 23 points, only 1 missed shot, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists.
This is a Big 3 that can match up with anyone, and it seems their chemistry is strong both on and off the court. That will propel this team to success. Juju Watkins, I believe, will take back her spot as the best player in the country this season, while her two co-stars will be elite in their own right.
The Big 3 definitely takes up the attention, but the Trojans also have a great player in Kennedy Smith. In her season debut, she had 12 points and 4 steals. Last season, she had 11.5 points per game and helped the Trojans to many wins. This team has many of the pieces needed to take on anybody. The only concern is in the paint, where USC needs better rebounding and interior defense to complete its roster and ensure that opponents can't exploit a weakness. Last season, that's where USC women's hoops fell short. The Trojans have to have a credible presence on the low block and on the glass.
USC women's basketball will be the most exciting team to watch in the sport, and I think this team has the best chance to come home with a title this season compared to the other teams at USC. USC women's basketball will be a force in the coming months.
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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC women's basketball 'core four' is what makes this team special
