University of Minnesota Athletics
Thursday, January 30
Los Angeles, CA
9:00 PM
University of Minnesota
at
Southern California
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
Photo by: Matt Krohn
Minnesota Looks Ahead to No. 4 Southern California
1/29/2025 9:54:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The contest is the first Big Ten meeting between the opponents
MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Minnesota women's basketball team (18-3, 6-3 B1G) hits the road this week to face No. 4/4 Southern California (18-1, 8-0 B1G). The Gophers and Trojans will tip off Thursday, Jan. 30, at 9 p.m. CT at the Galen Center. The game will be streamed live on Peacock, while Justin Gaard and Lynnette Sjoquist will broadcast it on KFAN+.
Minnesota (18-3, 6-3 B1G) vs. No. 4/4 Southern California (18-1, 8-0 B1G)
TV: Peacock (Play-by-play: Zora Stephenson, Analyst: Kimberly Adams)
Tip Time: KFAN+ 96.7 FM and the iHeartRadio app (Justin Gaard and Lynnette Sjoquist)
Location: Galen Center
About the Southern California Game
Minnesota (18-3, 6-3 B1G) vs. No. 4/4 Southern California (18-1, 8-0 B1G)
TV: Peacock (Play-by-play: Zora Stephenson, Analyst: Kimberly Adams)
Tip Time: KFAN+ 96.7 FM and the iHeartRadio app (Justin Gaard and Lynnette Sjoquist)
Location: Galen Center
About the Southern California Game
- Minnesota and Southern California are meeting for the third time, with a tied 1-1 series that began in 1981. Thursday's contest marks the first time the two teams will meet as Big Ten opponents.
- As a team, the Trojans rank first in the conference in scoring margin (29.6), scoring offense (83.8), scoring defense (54.2), and blocks per game (7.1).
- Southern California ranks in the top 5 in the Big Ten in free throw percentage (No. 2, 77%), rebounds per game (No. 3, 43.0), steals per game (No. 3, 11.7), turnovers forced per game (No. 3, 21.0), and assists per game (No. 4, 18.0).
- The Trojans are led by sophomore guard JuJu Watkins, who averages 24.8 points per game, 6.6 rebounds per game, 3.58 assists per game, 2.37 steals per game, and 1.89 blocks per game on a 45.8% shooting clip.
- Other notable players include senior forward Kiki Iriafen (17.8 points per game, 8.3 rebounds per game, .512 shooting percentage) and freshman guard Kennedy Smith (10.1 points per game, 3.9 rebounds, and 45.5% shooting).
- The Trojans are coming off a 79-37 win over Purdue on Wednesday, Jan. 22. Watkins led with 16 points, followed by Smith with 12.
- USC and UCLA are tied for first place in the Big Ten with an undefeated 8-0 record in conference play.
- Minnesota set a program record with 12 nonconference wins, surpassing the previous high of 11 set in seven different seasons, most recently in 2018-19.
- Junior forward Mallory Heyer secured her second double-double of the season against Wisconsin on Sunday. The Chaska, Minn., native recorded 15 points and 11 rebounds against the Badgers.
- With the win on Sunday, it marked the first time since 2022 that Minnesota has swept Wisconsin in a season. The Gophers got their first victory over the Badgers on New Year's Eve at the Kohl Center, 59-50. On Sunday, Minnesota secured the second win, 71-50.
- Transfer Jordan Brooks will return to her home state this week with the trip out west. Brooks hails from Apple Valley, Calif., and attended Apple Valley High School.
- Freshman Tori McKinney ranks second in the Big Ten and 20th in the NCAA in free throw percentage. The guard is averaging .900 and has gone 54-60 from the line.
- Junior Amaya Battle ranks in the top 10 in the conference in assist/turnover ratio (No. 4, 88/40), assists (No. 6, 88), and assists per game (No. 8, 4.2).
- Sophomore Grace Grocholski ranks eighth in the conference in three-pointers made with 40.
- 800: Minnesota is eight wins away from a program record of 800 victories.
- 400: On Jan. 5, 2025, head coach Dawn Plitzuweit secured her 400th career win over Big Ten opponent Illinois.
- 29: The Gophers' NET ranking is No. 29; they've stayed in the top 30 since Dec. 28, 2024.
- 4: The Maroon & Gold rank No. 4 nationally in assist/turnover ratio (354 assists, 207 turnovers).
- 2: Minnesota is the top-ranked team in the Big Ten and second in the nation in fewest turnovers per game, averaging 9.9 per contest.
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