How To Watch Indiana Women’s Basketball Game Against No. 4 USC

The new Big Ten teams have made the conference race that much more challenging. This time, JuJu Watkins and No. 4 USC come to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) drives the ball agains UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (5) and guard Kaitlyn Chen (20) in the second half at XL Center. | David Butler II-Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – In most sports, the Big Ten’s four new West Coast members have had success in their new coast-to-coast league, but with one notable exception, not in an uniform sense.

In the team sports where a round robin schedule or something close to it is played, it’s been a mixed bag. Oregon won the Big Ten regular season title, but the other three schools struggled.

In volleyball, none of the West Coast schools could crack the top four in an established powerhouse league. In men's soccer, Washington contended while the other struggled, but in women's soccer USC and UCLA finished 1-2, Washington was solid, but Oregon struggled.

In men’s basketball, Oregon has played well, but the rest have been mediocre.

It’s women’s basketball where the West Coast schools have flexed their muscle the most. No mean feat considering how strong the Big Ten already was in the women’s game.

The new Big Ten schools have a combined 19-6 record in league play. UCLA and USC are unbeaten at 6-0 in league play as the Bruins are No. 1 in the country and the Trojans are No. 4. While Oregon and Washington each have three league losses, both the Ducks and Huskies can each count one of their losses against other West Coast schools.

All four West Coast schools are in the top 50 in the NCAA’s NET rankings.

This is what traditional Big Ten schools like Indiana are up against. In the case of No. 4 Southern California, making its first visit to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall at noon ET on Sunday, the Trojans bring one of the biggest stars in the sport to Bloomington.

USC guard JuJu Watkins does it all. The 6-foot-2 sophomore leads the Big Ten in scoring at 25.5 points per game. She is also good for 6.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists.

Watkins’ visit just adds to the exoticism of the new-look Big Ten and to its excellence. 

How to watch Indiana vs. No. 4 USC

Trojans forward Kiki Iriafen (44) during pregame warm-ups before a game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Galen Center. | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

• Who: Indiana Hoosiers (12-5, 4-2) vs. No. 4 Southern California Trojans (16-1, 6-0).

• What: Big Ten regular season game.

• When: Sunday, Jan. 19 at noon ET.

• Where: Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, Bloomington, Ind.

• TV: NBC.

• Radio: WBWB in Bloomington.

• Radio announcer: Austin Render.

• Last season: Indiana went 26-8 overall and finished 15-3 in the Big Ten. The Hoosiers made the NCAA Tournament and lost to South Carolina in the Sweet 16. USC was 29-6 and finished second in the Pac-12 Conference with a 13-5 record. The Trojans advanced to the Portland 3 Regional final, but lost to Connecticut.

• Last game: Indiana lost 68-54 at home to Illinois on Thursday. USC defeated Penn State 95-73 at home last Sunday.

• Series history: USC leads 1-0. The Trojans defeated the Hoosiers 99-53 in 1985 in Los Angeles.

Statistics

Indiana's Sydney Parrish (33) shoots over Illinois' Genesis Bryant (1) during the Indiana versus Illinois women's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Indiana Hoosiers

• Guards (as officially listed): Yarden Garzon (13.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.2 apg), Sydney Parrish (10.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg), Shay Ciezki (12.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.8 apg), Chloe Moore McNeil (9.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3.9 apg), Julianna LaMendola (3.3 ppg, 3 rpg), Lexus Bargesser (3.3 ppg), Henna Sandvik (2.7 ppg), Valentyna Kadlecova (2.2 ppg).

• Forwards/centers: Lilly Meister (10.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg), Karoline Striplin (8.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg), Sharnecce Currie-Jelks (0.4 ppg), Faith Wiseman (0.2 ppg, 1 rpg).

No. 4 USC Trojans

• Guards: JuJu Watkins (25.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 3.9 apg), Kennedy Smith (9.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg), G-F Rayah Marshall (7.8 ppg, 8.8 rpg), Kayleigh Heckel (7.1 ppg), Avery Howell (6 ppg), Talia van Oelhoffen (6.4 ppg), Malia Samuels (3 ppg), Rian Forestier (1.7 ppg), Aaliyah Gayles (1.1 ppg), Brooklyn Shamblin (0.6 ppg).

• Forwards/centers: Kiki Iriafen (18.6 ppg, 8.6 rpg), Vivian Iwuchukwu (2.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg), Clarice Akunwafo (1.3 ppg).

Rankings

• USC is ranked No. 4 in the AP Top 25 poll. Indiana received votes, but was not in the Top 25 itself.

Meet the coaches

\USC Trojans head coach Lindsay Gottlieb during the second quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Galen Center. | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

• Teri Moren, Indiana: Moren is in her 11th season at Indiana and has a career record of 238-104 with the Hoosiers. Her overall record in 22 years as a head coach is 437-234. Moren previously coached at Indiana State from 2010-14 and at the University of Indianapolis from 2000-07. Moren was also an assistant coach at Butler (1992-98), Northwestern (1998-2000) and Georgia Tech (2007-10). Moren, a Seymour, Ind. native, played collegiately at Purdue from 1988-92.

• Lindsay Gottlieb, USC: Gottlieb is in her fourth season at USC and has a record of 78-33 with the Trojans. Overall, Gottlieb is in her 15th season as a head coach. She was 179-89 in eight seasons at California and was 56-39 in three seasons at UC-Santa Barbara. Overall, Gottlieb has a career record of 313-161.

Gottlieb, who played at Brown from 1995-99, was a student assistant during her senior season at Brown. After her career with the Bears ended, Gottlieb began her career as an assistant coach at Syracuse (1999-2001). She continued as an assistant with New Hampshire (2001-02), Richmond (2002-05), California (2005-08) before she took over as head coach at UCSB in 2008.

Related stories on Indiana women's basketball

• WHAT MOREN SAID: What Teri Moren said after Indiana's 68-54 loss to Illinois. CLICK HERE.

• PATBERG GETS MORE RESPONSIBILITY: Teri Moren has instilled more duties for program legend and current assistant coach Ali Patberg. CLICK HERE.

• INDIANA GETS VOTES IN TOP 25 POLL: Indiana's women's basketball team was back among the considered teams for the AP Top 25 women's poll this week. CLICK HERE.