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USC Women's Basketball: Big 10 Schedule Revealed for JuJu Watkins' Second Season

Who will USC face at home and on the road next year?

Eva Geitheim

Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

The Big 10 home and away opponents for USC women's basketball's first season in their new conference have officially been announced. After a tremendous final season in the Pac-12 in which the Trojans went 29-6, won the Pac-12 Tournament, and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight, the Trojans appear primed to make their mark in the Big Ten.

The Women of Troy will face Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Michigan State, and Penn State at home at the Galen Center.

The Trojans will additionally face Big Ten conference rivals Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Oregon, Purdue, Rutgers, Washington, and Wisconsin on the road. The lone team they will face both at home and on the road is their biggest rival, UCLA.

The good news for USC's road plans is they get to go to their former conference rivals in Oregon and Washington, two teams they're pretty familiar with and are much closer to. In addition, there is no time zone change when they head to Oregon and Washington. Their furthest opponents are Maryland and Rutgers, with both teams requiring USC to make a cross country trip.

Even with the new travel challenges, the Trojans are in a good spot to make a splash in the Big 10. They are battle tested after playing in the Pac-12 last season, which was one of the most competitive conferences in women's college basketball.

In addition, USC is bringing in two top transfers in Kiki Iriafen and Talia Von Oelhoffen along with the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation to help JuJu Watkins and Rayah Marshall contend for a national title. With Caitlin Clark leaving for the WNBA, the Trojans could very well be the top team in the Big Ten next year.

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Eva Geitheim

EVA GEITHEIM

Eva graduated from UCLA in 2023 with a bachelor's degree in Communication. She has been covering college and professional sports since 2022.