On Tuesday night, the USC women’s basketball team got back into the win column, dominating Portland 78-51. With the victory, the Trojans improved to 3-1 on the 2025-2026 season.
What did we learn from the game? Here are a few key takeaways:
Bouncing back
After Saturday’s loss to South Carolina, it was important that USC get back on track. The Trojans did just that, easily taking care of business in this one.
Forcing turnovers
The Women of Troy forced 29 turnovers against Portland. If USC can get that level of defensive play every game, it is capable of competing with any team in the country.
Weapon on the glass
Lindsay Gottlieb might have found a secret weapon on the glass. Auburn transfer Yakiya Milton recorded 12 rebounds off of the bench, and she did it while playing just 12 minutes.
Free throw struggles
The Trojans made just 58% of their free throw attempts. That did not cost them against Portland, but it could come back to bite them against tougher opponents.
Up next
USC will now head to Notre Dame for another nationally televised top 25 matchup on Friday. Tipoff is set for 3:00 p.m. Pacific time/6:00 p.m. Eastern time on ESPN.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Takeaways from USC women’s basketball’s 78-51 home victory over Portland
Reporting by Adam Bradford, Trojans Wire / Trojans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
