USC Trojans Women's Basketball Nonconference Schedule: Rematch vs. UConn Huskies

The USC women's basketball team released their non-conference schedule. The Trojans aren't backing down from any opponents as they four NCAA tournament teams on their schedule, including the UConn Huskies.
Mar 25, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) hugs head coach Lindsay Gottlieb during a NCAA Women’s Tournament 2nd round game against the Kansas Jayhawks at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
Mar 25, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) hugs head coach Lindsay Gottlieb during a NCAA Women’s Tournament 2nd round game against the Kansas Jayhawks at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans women's basketball team released their non-conference schedule. A year after USC finished in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament, the Trojans loaded up their non-conference portion, with four high-major schools on the schedule.

USC begins their season in style at a neutral site in Paris for their season opener against Ole Miss on Nov. 4. The Rebels were a seven-seed in the NCAA tournament last year and mark the first of four NCAA tournament teams the Trojans will face.

The Trojans play host to Notre Dame on Nov. 23. The Fighting Irish were one of the best teams in the country last year as they won 28 games as were a two-seed in the tournament. They made it all the way to the Sweet Sixteen before falling to Oregon State. Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo and USC's JuJu Watkins are two of the best sophomores in the country in a matchup that will attract the eyes of the WNBA.

Coincidentally, the USC football team will host the Fighting Irish at the Coliseum seven days later on Nov. 30.

The Trojans will head to South Bend next year as part of a home-and-home with Notre Dame.

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Apr 1, 2024; Portland, OR, USA; USC Trojans guard McKenzie Forbes (25) drives to the basket during the second half against UConn Huskies guard KK Arnold (2) in the finals of the Portland Regional of the NCAA Tournament at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Seton Hall will travel across the country to Palm Springs to take on USC in a Big East vs Big Ten matchup in the Acrisure Series in Palm Springs on Nov. 27. The Pirates ended their season in the first round of the WNIT last year.

USC will also take on Saint Louis in the second matchup of the Acrisure Series in Palm Springs.

California Baptist will make the short trek to the Galen Center on Dec. 3. The Lancers were winners of the WAC and the 15-seed in the tournament last year.

The biggest matchup of the regular season across women's basketball will take place at UConn on Dec. 21 when the Women of Troy will travel across the country to Storrs, Connecticut.

It will feature two of the biggest names in the sport in JuJu Watkins and Paige Bueckers. When the two teams faced off against each other in the Elite Eight last season, Bueckers and Watkins combined for 57 points as the Huskies pulled away 80-73.

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Apr 1, 2024; Portland, OR, USA; USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) drives to the basket during the second half against UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (5) in the finals of the Portland Regional of the NCAA Tournament at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb put together a competitive non-conference as the Trojans gear up for their first season of Big Ten conference play.

All eyes will be on Watkins and the Trojans as they look to reload after a stellar offseason which saw Stanford star Kiki Iriafen and Oregon State point guard Talia Van Oelhoffen head down to Southern California via the transfer portal.

The transfers paired with a good recruiting class led by Kennedy Smith, who was the Gatorade California State Player of the Year, and Kayleigh Heckel, a McDonald's All-American, to give the Trojans reinforcements for Watkins and Rayah Marshall.

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Gabriel Duarte
GABRIEL DUARTE

Residing in Los Angeles, Gabriel Duarte is a senior at Cal State Northridge and is pursuing a degree in broadcast journalism. Gabriel is passionate about college athletics and is a writer for USC Trojans on SI and Oregon Ducks on SI. Gabriel has covered many college sporting events around the Southern California area including basketball and football for USC. Gabriel also writes for his local newspaper on high school sports.