The USC Trojans were not at their best, but they still bested the Arizona Wildcats without too much trouble on a rare Monday night of women’s basketball at the Galen Center. The Pac-12 usually plays women’s basketball games on Fridays and Sundays. USC got the ESPN2 prime-time treatment for this game, and the Trojans took care of business against an undermanned Arizona squad which suffered multiple in-game injuries and did not have the bodies needed to keep up with USC.
The win moves USC to 18-4 on the season and solidifies a top-four NCAA Tournament seed for the Trojans, who are coming closer to their central goal of hosting Women’s NCAA Tournament games at the Galen Center for the first time. If they secure that top-four seed — right now they are a projected No. 3 seed — they will host the opening weekend of the Big Dance, a special goal which would improve their chances of making the Sweet 16 and an NCAA regional.
Here are five takeaways from USC’s 81-64 victory: