The USC Trojans faced a unique and profound test on Thursday afternoon in their last scheduled nonconference game of the season. In USC’s last warm-up game before the start of a much-anticipated Pac-12 season, the Trojans were without their superstar, JuJu Watkins. They were also without their best interior defender and rebounder, double-double queen Rayah Marshall. They were also without Kaitlyn Davis, the valuable role player who enables the offense to function extremely well and who provides so much value to this team at both ends of the floor.
No JuJu. No Rayah. No Kaitlyn. USC lacked its three best players and its two biggest producers. USC was missing its elite perimeter scorer and its elite interior force.
As good as the Trojans are, any team will be a lot worse when missing its three best players — not one, not two, but all three. This was a real test against the 5-4 Long Beach State Beach. This wasn’t a top-level opponent, but it also wasn’t a tomato can opponent. This was a decent team. USC took the court knowing that if its shorthanded roster did not play well, this game could turn into a loss. There was a real chance USC might eat a defeat before Pac-12 play and that highly-anticipated UCLA showdown on December 30 in Pauley Pavilion.
Would USC flinch? Would this team crumble without its best players?
Nope.
McKenzie Forbes stepped up with 36 points. Kayla Padilla added 16. The Trojans’ defense forced 22 Long Beach turnovers and allowed only three made 3-pointers to the Beach. It was good enough for a close but satisfying 85-77 win on Thursday afternoon.
The undermanned Trojans, as a matter of necessity and not choice, had to give a lot of minutes to less-proven players. It’s true that Forbes and Padilla have been quality additions to the roster, but Lindsay Gottlieb had to go deep into her bench and get significant minutes from a lot of players who haven’t played much in general, but who have been rarely used in close games. USC had dominated its previous few games, such that the lower end of the bench had not played in any high-stress situations over the past several weeks.
It was a situation which could have tripped up a lot of other teams. Not USC.
It wasn’t a cakewalk — and it didn’t figure to be, given the absence of the team’s three best players. USC led by only four points midway through the third quarter (54-50) built built the lead back up to 75-65 midway through the fourth quarter. Long Beach once again rallied and pulled within four points at 75-71 with 2:20 left in regulation, but the Trojans had answers every time Long Beach made a run.
USC is 10-0 heading into Christmas break. The Trojans now get to rest and prepare for UCLA on Saturday, December 30. Both teams are currently ranked in the top six in the nation.
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