Former USC Guard Avery Howell Thriving In New Role With Big Ten Rival

Former USC Trojans guard Avery Howell is thriving in an expanded role with the Washington Huskies emerging into one of the Big Ten’s most consistent players.

Mar 31, 2025; Spokane, WA, USA; USC Trojans guard Avery Howell (23) shoots against the UConn Huskies during the first half of a Elite 8 NCAA Tournament basketball game at Spokane Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images

Washington Huskies sophomore guard Avery Howell didn’t leave USC because she couldn’t play. Through the first half of the season, the former Trojan guard has emerged as one of the most productive and reliable players in the Big Ten, thriving in an expanded role after transferring to Washington.

While the move stung for USC, Howell’s breakout underscores both what the Trojans lost and why her departure still looms large in the program’s current roster construction.

Howell Flourishes With Opportunity at Washington

Since arriving in Seattle, Howell has stepped directly into a featured role, particularly with preseason All-Big Ten guard Elle Ladine sidelined for much of the nonconference slate. Playing alongside fellow preseason honoree Sayvia Sellers, Howell has become Washington’s most consistent two-way presence.

Mar 31, 2025; Spokane, WA, USA; USC Trojans guard Avery Howell (23) rebounds against the UConn Huskies during the first half of a Elite 8 NCAA Tournament basketball game at Spokane Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images

She is averaging 13.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, while shooting 45 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from three-point range. Her 2.6 made threes per game rank fourth in the Big Ten, and her rebounding places her among the conference’s top five, rare production for a guard.

The performances have come in bunches. Howell erupted for 23 points on 6-of-9 shooting from deep in a 94-73 win over Northwestern, then followed it with 22 points and a career-high 16 rebounds in a statement upset of No. 6 Michigan. She has now scored in double figures in 11 games overall, including nine straight, while logging a team-high 30.7 minutes per night.

Earlier this season, Howell returned to the Galen Center and reminded USC exactly what it once had. In Washington’s 59-50 loss, she posted 16 points, 13 rebounds, two assists, and two steals while playing 38 minutes, easily the Huskies’ most impactful player on the floor.

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What USC Lost and Why It Matters Now

From a USC perspective, Howell’s success is less about regret and more about fit and timing. In her lone season with the Trojans, Howell averaged 7.5 points and 3.0 rebounds in nearly 21 minutes per game, serving as a high-efficiency floor spacer off the bench on an Elite Eight team. She shot 40 percent from three and 83 percent from the free-throw line, giving USC reliable perimeter shooting in high-leverage moments.

Mar 24, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans guard Avery Howell (23) shoots was Mississippi State Bulldogs guard Jerkaila Jordan (2) defends her during an NCAA Tournament second round game at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Her role expanded late in the NCAA Tournament after JuJu Watkins went down with a torn ACL. Howell started USC’s final two tournament games, scoring 18 points with eight rebounds against Kansas State before adding nine points and four boards versus eventual champion UConn. The jump hinted at what she could be with a larger offensive mandate. That projection is now reality, just not in cardinal and gold.

USC’s current roster construction has exposed the absence. The Trojans lean heavily on guard production, with freshman Jazzy Davidson carrying an outsized load as the team’s top scorer, rebounder, and shot blocker.

No forward for the Trojans is averaging double-figure points or even five rebounds, contributing to USC ranking eighth in the Big Ten in rebounding at 39 per game. Washington, meanwhile, sits sixth at 40.9, fueled in part by Howell’s presence on the glass.

A Transfer That Made Sense for Both Sides

Mar 29, 2025; Spokane, WA, USA; USC Trojans guard Avery Howell (23) goes back on defense against the Kansas State Wildcats during the second half of a Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament basketball game against the Kansas State Wildcats at Spokane Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images

Howell’s decision wasn’t about leaving a contender. It was about maximizing her skill set. At Washington, she’s empowered to rebound, initiate offense, and take big shots without hesitation. At USC, her role, while valuable, was capped by roster balance and star hierarchy.

Howell is proving she can be a Big Ten-level centerpiece. USC, meanwhile, is learning how thin the margin can be when a versatile, high-IQ guard is no longer part of the rotation.

They have since made it a point to recruit with size in mind, landing 6-foot-4 Australian forward Sataya Fagan as part of a top-ranked 2026 recruiting class. For Howell, the move unlocked her game. For USC, it clarified just how much she mattered.