USC Women's Basketball Vs Stanford: How To Watch, Odds, Predictions, And More
This afternoon, your second-seeded USC Women of Troy will look to continue their charmed run through the Pac-12 Tournament by beating Tara VanDerveer's top-seeded Stanford Cardinal. The two programs will square off at 2 p.m. PT today in Las Vega's MGM Grand Garden Arena. Hall of Fame hooper Rebecca Lobo will be joined by Eric Frede and Holly Rowe for the ESPN analysis.
USC, who at 25-5 is the No. 5-ranked club in the country, will face the No. 2-ranked, 28-4 Cardinal. The Trojans could be in trouble, having played the later game of the two teams (albeit in the same terrain as today's game, so neither club has a travel advantage), a poor-shooting, double-overtime epic against USC's crosstown rival, the UCLA Bruins. This marks USC's third overall berth in the tournament championship game (and its final one, given that USC is moving on to the Big Ten next fall and the Pac-12 is all but dead), and its first appearance in a decade.
Head coach Lindsay Gottlieb is making her first appearance in the title game with USC, but her third overall, following two appearances with Cal in 2012 and '15.
Prolific All-American freshman shooting guard JuJu Watkins, who has led the team in scoring for all but two of the contests in which she's appeared (29), rolled her ankle twice in the UCLA game. If she can't go, this game could be a wrap before it starts.
According to The Action Network, USC is a +7.5 point underdog. Given the uncertainty surrounding Watkins' health (I predict she'll play, but could be limited and score inefficiently), I appreciate why the club isn't favored. The Trojans' poor shooting showing against UCLA also doesn't bode well, but if Watkins can get enough free throw appearances, maybe they can steal a W. I think we're looking at a physical, low-scoring affair, a 60-55 Cardinal win.
