logo
USC hammers Ohio State, sets up Big Ten championship bout with UCLA

USC hammers Ohio State, sets up Big Ten championship bout with UCLA

USA Today09-02-2025

USC women's basketball was set up to fail on Saturday night against Ohio State. What do we mean by that? The Big Ten Conference gave USC a terrible schedule. The Trojans had to play four games in 10 days, with this Saturday night game versus Ohio State being the last of the four games. USC played Ohio State after having had to fly from Madison, Wisconsin, where the Trojans played on Wednesday night. Ohio State was already in Los Angeles, having played UCLA on Wednesday night. OSU didn't have to travel, USC did. USC had only two days in between games for a week and a half. Usually, teams get at least three days off between games at least once a week. If a team plays Sunday, it might then play Thursday. If a team plays Wednesday, it might then play on Sunday. USC had to play on short rest, and the game versus No. 8 Ohio State was at the end of the long and grueling sequence.
It would have been very understandable if USC women's basketball failed, sinking into quicksand due to mental and physical fatigue from accumulated travel in the geographically expanded Big Ten. USC knew how big this Ohio State game was, but the Trojans could have been physically exhausted. It could have come crashing down on them.
It did not. In a superb defensive performance, USC hammered Ohio State 84-63. The Trojans were sloppy in this game, but their effort and toughness reigned supreme. Let's break open this game and look at its many dimensions:
Rebounding
We start here. USC grabbed 62 rebounds to just 30 for Ohio State. Offensive boards: 19-6 Trojans. This was a bloodbath on the backboard. USC's hunger and effort were elite, and that covered up USC's other flaws and limitations.
Defense
Ohio State shot 29 percent from the field, 2 of 11 (18 percent) on 3-pointers. USC's length and size deterred and disrupted Ohio State shooters all night long. Ohio State could not generate clean looks near the basket. The Buckeyes were challenged and stopped when they got within five or six feet of the rim. This was a defensive clinic.
Kiki Iriafen
Kiki Iriafen played like a star. She had to leave for several minutes in the third quarter due to foul trouble, but when she was on the floor, she dominated Ohio State. She got the ball deep in the paint and hit a few mid-range jump shots as well. She finished with 24 points and 13 rebounds and was the best player on the floor. This was why she came to USC.
Kayleigh Heckel
The backup guard was thrown into the game in the first quarter after USC started the game with some sluggish offensive possessions. Heckel settled down the team and the offense and played a smart, steady game. Six points, three blocked shots, and a lot of leadership from Heckel provided immense value to USC.
Avery Howell
USC's other freshman reserve provided 6 points, 4 rebounds, and strong defense. The maturity of USC's top-ranked freshman class showed up tonight.
Kennedy Smith
USC's freshman starter was a menace for Ohio State. Smith was all over the floor and the glass, posting 13 points, 13 boards, 5 assists, and 2 blocked shots. This was a complete game for Smith, who has been a dependable player all season long and annoys opponents with her energy.
Rayah Marshall
USC's master of the middle anchored the Trojans' defense in the paint and also pounded the glass for putback baskets. When it was all said and done against Ohio State, Marshall had collected 10 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocked shots, a solid night at the office for an elite defensive player.
Talia von Oelhoffen
TVO helped Oregon State make the Elite Eight last season. She is a terrific defender. She hasn't been scoring as much as USC would like, but when she plays defense the way she did against Ohio State, we can all appreciate why she is important to this team. Von Oelhoffen posted 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and a blocked shot. Getting 8 points is a bonus when she is defending at such a high level. Ohio State could not figure her out in this game.
JuJu Watkins
JuJu Watkins is struggling on offense. She missed her first 11 field goal attempts and didn't hit one until the 2:02 mark of the third quarter. USC beat Ohio State by 21 despite Watkins' difficult shooting night (5 of 21; she was 2 of 16 early in the fourth quarter). Imagine what USC can do when Watkins is scoring efficiently.
All of that aside, Watkins still gives A-plus effort on the court. She grabbed 10 rebounds and handed out 3 assists. She helped USC in ways other than scoring, but there's no question she has to improve her offense as USC goes forward.
Lindsay Gottlieb
The Trojans' coach had a great game on the bench. She outcoached Ohio State's Kevin McGuff. USC was able to throw the ball over the top of the Ohio State defense. Gottlieb correctly realized USC had more size and length. Post entries were the best way to attack the OSU defense. This helped Kiki Iriafen and Rayah Marshall score a lot of baskets near the rim.
Gottlieb's move to put Kayleigh Heckel in the game in the first quarter was also important. When Iriafen and Marshall both got into foul trouble, Gottlieb did not bench both players at the same time. She kept one of the two on the floor so that USC would have balance at both ends of the court. Gottlieb's lineup combinations worked really well in this game. She also had USC ready to play defense. We also remind you that Gottlieb's ability to rest the starters on Wednesday versus Wisconsin really did pay off in this game. USC looked physically fresh, given the energy the Trojans brought to the court against Ohio State.
UCLA next
UCLA and USC are the only two teams left standing in Big Ten women's basketball, with the sole possible exception of Michigan State, which visits Los Angeles later this month. UCLA and USC are the only Big Ten teams with fewer than three losses. UCLA is unbeaten heading into Sunday's game at Oregon. USC has just one loss. The Bruins and Trojans meet on Thursday, February 13, in the Galen Center. The Big Ten championship will be on the line. This is what we all expected before the season began. Much more on this game at Trojans Wire in the coming days. Be sure to watch for our new podcasts and for analyst Cece Clay's new YouTube posts as well.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

UFC legend Mark Coleman opens up on horrific experiences as alleged victim in Ohio State sexual abuse scandal
UFC legend Mark Coleman opens up on horrific experiences as alleged victim in Ohio State sexual abuse scandal

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

UFC legend Mark Coleman opens up on horrific experiences as alleged victim in Ohio State sexual abuse scandal

Content warning: This story contains graphic details about alleged sexual assault that may be difficult to read and emotionally upsetting. Mark Coleman and Michael DiSabato continue to shed light on former Ohio State University physician Richard Strauss' alleged 20-year pattern of sexual abuse. Advertisement The upcoming documentary "Surviving Ohio State" premieres on HBO on June 17. Among many other former Ohio State alumni featured in the film are UFC Hall of Famer Coleman and DiSabato, both of whom first spoke out in 2018 about Strauss, who's been accused of abusing hundreds — potentially thousands — of students during his time at Ohio State from 1978 to 1998. Appearing in-studio on Monday's edition of "The Ariel Helwani Show," Coleman and DiSabato opened up, recounting some of their experiences ahead of the documentary's debut at the Tribeca Film Festival. 'It was a joke within our community, within the locker room, that Strauss performed unnecessary genital exams on all of us, all the time,' DiSabato said. 'At the time, this is 1986, we didn't know what we know now to be grooming and sexual abuse. We just thought it was some dude who was not right and enjoyed something that was not cool. But he was the doctor, and he was the guy that cleared us to wrestle. If you had injuries, you had to go to him. 'Very much like Larry Nassar, he was a friend. It's a complicated thing when you look back at it. He earned our trust. And when you got that Ohio State logo on the side of your chest, and you're a medical doctor, well, we were taught to follow the rules and do what they say you're going to do.' Coleman, 60, recalled first meeting Strauss in 1986 when he went in for a physical. Having transferred from Miami University, the MMA legend had never experienced anything like what allegedly became a regularity at Ohio State. Advertisement 'People were saying to me, 'Have fun in there,' and it was an eye-opener,' Coleman said of his first visit with Strauss. 'I didn't understand it either, but I kind of knew Dr. Strauss was very hands-on, as they would say. 'Look, man — you needed this guy to compete. This guy's got to sign you off. It's that simple for me. I wanted to be a national champion. I wasn't going to cause problems.' Strauss' alleged actions were considered an "open secret," as described by DiSabato. He and Coleman would both ask other students and athletes what was up with Strauss always checking their genitals in exams. There was always some sort of reason given by Strauss, DiSabato claimed, whether it was looking for hernias or just being "thorough." DiSabato had heard rumors about Strauss before meeting him at age 14, but no one knew what to think — or even believed harassment of that nature existed. Yet when the sexual abuse cases of Michigan State's Larry Nassar came to light, and led to a lifetime prison sentence for Nassar a 2017, DiSabato put it all together in relation to what allegedly happened with him, Coleman and so many of their teammates. Advertisement 'We're sitting around in December of 2017, and [Coleman] is reading the newspaper, and he's talking about Larry Nassar to me because his daughter was a gymnast," DiSabato said. "He's reading the details, and it just hit me. I didn't follow the Nassar case — I knew about it, but I didn't know the details. When he went into the details and what Nassar was doing, [it was] very similar. Unnecessary genital exams. It just hit me like a ton of bricks. 'That's us, Mark.'' For Coleman and DiSabato, the trauma and aftermath of their realizations have been difficult to process in real-time. Nassar's case was widespread global news that dominated headlines. Strauss' case, however, is still gaining exposure since the first bombshell accusations surfaced in 2018. DiSabato believes that reaction is due to the difficult nature of male-on-male sexual abuse and the fact that it pertained to elite-level combat athletes. Even for Coleman, he struggled to pull the trigger. Advertisement "You've got to sometimes get uncomfortable to become comfortable," Coleman said. "... I was very nervous that day and I remember telling [Ohio State coach] Russ [Hellickson] that, 'I'm pretty nervous. I don't know if I should do this.' He just looked at me and said, 'Just tell the truth and everything will be OK.' Something happened from there. Russ, when that video came out, it exploded. ... Me, [DiSabato] and Russ talking in detail about what happened. It took a lot of courage, man, but I just did it." Ohio State University remains in active court proceedings with nearly 250 survivors of Strauss' alleged abuse speaking out thus far. But Strauss' exams weren't exclusive to just wrestling — he saw athletes of all varieties daily. DiSabato believes the number of total victims of Strauss likely totals in the thousands. DiSabato essentially labeled the Ohio State facilities a bathhouse because of the pervasiveness of Strauss' alleged presence, claiming that Strauss never worked out with the athletes but took showers with them regularly. DiSabato claimed that Strauss sometimes allegedly would take multiple showers a day with the Ohio State student athletes, depending on who entered when he was around. Although Coleman and DiSabato's coach Hellickson later retracted his statements after allegedly urging Coleman to speak out in the case's initial stages, the pair saw him as one of the good ones on staff. There were times when Coleman would get angry before his matches, specifically recalling instances when he got ready in bathroom stalls and next to him were allegedly other people watching through peepholes. Advertisement 'Russ Hellickson, to his credit, went to university officials on multiple occasions and said, 'This is not right. Strauss is doing stuff he shouldn't be doing, and this environment at [our campus] is toxic.' It's hard for people to wrap their minds around it unless you were there," DiSabato said. 'Just imagine you're coming down from practice, you've got to go take a shower, and it's the gauntlet of sexual deviancy. You're walking into a shower, into a sauna, and you know every day there's going to be multiple dudes there that are there to watch you take a shower, to watch you take a sauna. And they're performing, on multiple situations, sex acts. You've got dudes masturbating. At one point, in a testimony, Russ tells the story of a guy in a toilet stall that was adjacent to the shower, and Hellickson walks in, and this dude is literally peeping over the top, masturbating. Hellickson pulls the door open, grabs the guy by his wrist, pulls him out, and his testimony says he almost took his hand off, basically, squeezing it so hard. The anger of having to deal with this every day, rage of having to be in this kind of environment, of having a doctor every time you went down to see him wants to see your genitals. Every time. Advertisement 'I busted my knuckle one time in the middle of practice, and I went downstairs and had someone pop it in place," DiSabato continued. "[Strauss] wanted to see my genitals. I'm like, 'Dude, enough.' I went back up. But if you had a sore throat, whatever it was, he had a reason, and it was always 'thorough evaluation.'' As bad as things were claimed to be with Strauss, both DiSabato and Coleman said the community enabled the abuse as well. One of Coleman's most memorable experiences, he said, came from an encounter with a student who threatened his life after he stood up for himself. 'I remember one day, it's a Saturday in the offseason, so I was in there by myself training," Coleman said. "I was taking a shower afterward, and I turn around and there's a pretty big guy standing across there — 6-foot-2, 225 [pounds], and he's just staring right at me, playing with himself, staring at me. Finally I said, 'What the f*** you looking at, dude? Just take your shower and get the f*** out of here.' He said, 'I'm going to take my shower and get my gun, come back and shoot your ass.' Whoa. I got the hell out of there. This was just a student, probably.' Strauss ultimately committed suicide in 2005. Advertisement For Coleman and DiSabato, after all they've gone through, it's now about spreading awareness to protect young athletes in sports. That starts with "Surviving Ohio State" and continuing to fight back with the Strauss lawsuit. "I just learn to deal with things," Coleman said. "I'm dealing with it. I'm just super proud [of our efforts] because I know how many people I've helped coming forward like this. This is a big deal. It wasn't easy for me to come forward, but I decided to do it. 'I definitely suppressed it, then brought it back up with the Michigan State deal, and it just never clicked to me because we just didn't think male-on-male, it wasn't ever a thing. We just didn't think it was possible. 'What do you mean you let this guy do this, Coleman? Why didn't you just smash him?' That ain't how it works, idiots. Neither would you smash him, so shut the f*** up. 'The movie's going to blow it up and end this stuff — 10 lawsuits across the country. I'm proud. We started that. So, how many people got saved from that? And so that it doesn't happen in the future. I want [Ohio State to] pay. Justice.'

Commanders' Terry McLaurin not attending minicamp amid contract frustrations: Sources
Commanders' Terry McLaurin not attending minicamp amid contract frustrations: Sources

New York Times

timean hour ago

  • New York Times

Commanders' Terry McLaurin not attending minicamp amid contract frustrations: Sources

Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin is frustrated with contract negotiations and will not be attending minicamp, league sources said Tuesday. McLaurin skipped OTAs and minicamp three years ago before he inked his last extension. As he enters the final year of his deal, he is not showing up again. Advertisement A third-round draft pick out of Ohio State in 2019, McLaurin signed a three-year, $71 million contract extension in June 2022, after opting to sit out of Washington's offseason program. McLaurin totalled 82 catches on 117 targets for 1,096 yards in 2024 as Washington reached the NFC Championship game behind rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. He also added 13 touchdowns, good enough for second in the league for receivers behind the Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase. This story will be updated.

USC football countdown to kickoff continues—Randall Telfer in focus
USC football countdown to kickoff continues—Randall Telfer in focus

USA Today

time3 hours ago

  • USA Today

USC football countdown to kickoff continues—Randall Telfer in focus

USC football countdown to kickoff continues—Randall Telfer in focus The countdown to USC's 2025 football season is officially on! The Trojans kick off their new campaign 82 days from today. You need something to help you while away the days and hours in the spring and summer. This is one way to do so. In this new series, countdown to kickoff, we will be counting down the days by highlighting a notable Trojan who wore each number. Today, we take a look at former USC tight end Randall Telfer. Position: Tight end Years played at USC: 2010-2014 Career highlights: Telfer was one of two tight ends Lane Kiffin brought in in his first USC recruiting class in 2010, alongside Xavier Grimble. The two both redshirted their first year on campus, before forming a dynamic duo at tight end over the next three seasons. After Grimble declared for the 2014 NFL draft, Telfer became the go-to guy at the position his final season. Telfer finished his USC career with 65 receptions for 648 yards and 12 touchdowns. He established himself as a big game player during his time with the Trojans, with 7 of his 12 scores coming against either UCLA, Notre Dame, or a top 10 opponent. After USC: Telfer was selected in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns. He played two seasons with Cleveland, catching five passes for 40 yards. After being released by the Browns in 2018 and subsequently failing a physical with the Indianapolis Colts, Telfer announced his retirement from football. Telfer received his master's degree from USC in 2017. According to his LinkedIn page, he currently works as Vice President of Digital Marketing at Interscope Records in Los Angeles.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store