Jazzy Davidson Speaks Candidly About NCAA Tournament Debut

In one of the best games of the NCAA Tournament, the No. 9-seeded USC Trojans defeated the No. 8-seeded Clemson Tigers 71-67 in an overtime thriller. The Trojans have now opened the tournament with a win for the third consecutive season and advance to the Round of 32 to face the No. 1-seeded South Carolina Gamecocks on Monday.

USC freshman guard Jazzy Davidson showed out in her tournament debut, scoring 31 points, six rebounds, and five assists, on 13-of-28 shooting from the field. Davidson also proved why she’s been an all-around leader for the Trojans this season, as she recorded three steals and a block in the first-round win over Clemson.

USC Trojans Clemson Tigers NCAA Tournament Big Ten Jazzy Davidson South Carolina Gamecocks College Basketball Kara Dunn — Mar 21, 2026; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; USC Trojans guard Jazzy Davidson (9) drives past Clemson Tigers guard Rachael Rose (14) in the first half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

Davidson was a difference maker for the Trojans down the stretch, as she hit two clutch three-pointers in overtime to lead USC to the four-point first-round victory. USC’s win didn’t come easy, as what was originally thought to be a game-winning buzzer beater by Clemson guard Mia Moore at the end of regulation was overruled, as the Tigers didn’t get the shot off in time, sending the game to overtime.

In addition to Davidson's phenomenal tournament debut, USC guard Kara Dunn also had a major impact on the Trojans overtime win, scoring 22 points, four rebounds, and one assist, while shooting 63.6 percent from the field. Kennedy Smith also scored in double figures, scoring 12 points, six rebounds, and three assists, on 5-of-13 shooting from the field.

After what was a wild first-round win over Clemson, here’s what Davidson had to say about her sensational debut in the tournament for the Trojans and Monday’s rematch against the top-seeded Gamecocks with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line.

What Jazzy Davidson Said:

USC Trojans Clemson Tigers College Basketball NCAA Tournament Big Ten Jazzy Davidson Mia Moore first round matchup — Jan 29, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans guard Jazzy Davidson (9) greets guard Kennedy Smith (11) during a time out in the second half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

On Her First NCAA Tournament Game:

“It felt great, my teammates and coaches put me in a great position with those shots, they’re called great play calls, and my teammates executed perfectly, and we got the shot, it was great,” said Davidson.

Clemson's Buzzer Beater Being Waved Off:

USC Trojans Clemson Tigers NCAA Tournament College Basketball Big Ten buzzer beater Jazzy Davidson Mia Moore Kara Dunn — Mar 21, 2026; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers guard Mia Moore (12) shoots over USC Trojans guard Kara Dunn (25) in the second half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

“That’s just a tough shot, those are the kind of things that happen in March and obviously none of us want our season to be over, so it’s a little crushing to see that, but when we found out we were going into overtime, just mental reset, we all came back together and were just ready to play five minutes together,” said Davidson.

What Country Learned About USC’s Culture:

“I think just our grit, we play with a lot of grit and heart, and when we’re clicking, that can be scary for a lot of teams. I’m just really excited to go into this next game and build off of it,” said Davidson.

Rematch With South Carolina:

“It’s exciting, I mean, they’re a great team, they’re super well coached, just to be able to get another shot at them and kind of see where we stack up again way later on in the season, it’s going to be a good game,” said Davidson.

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