Preview: USC vs. Clemson in NCAA Tournament Opening Round

USC’s ceiling in this tournament begins with freshman guard Jazzy Davidson. She has been the engine of the Trojans all season, leading the team in points (17.9), rebounds (5.9), assists (4.3), steals (2.0), and blocks (2.1). No other Division I player matched that across-the-board production.

Now cleared after a shoulder injury scare in the Big Ten Tournament, Davidson enters March Madness with full expectations. USC doesn't just need her to play well, but rather they need her to go out and dominate. If the Trojans are going to advance, Davidson has to validate her National Freshman of the Year case with a complete, high-level performance.

“I’m super excited. You grow up playing basketball and watching the NCAA Tournament, and it’s always super electric every year," Davidson said at the Selection Sunday press conference. "Just getting the opportunity to play in my first [NCAA Tournament], I don’t take that lightly at all. I’m just going in and doing whatever I can do to help the team win.”

USC is no stranger to March Madness moments from their star freshman. Back in 2024, JuJu Watkins made a spectacular NCAA Tournament debut, leading USC to an 87-55 first-round victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi finishing with 23 points, five rebounds, four assists, and four blocks. With this statline, she broke the USC single-season scoring record previously held by Cheryl Miller.

Coach Gottlieb and the Trojans may not be expecting Davidson to replicate that performance, but the hope is for something akin to it. Win or lose, a strong tournament debut will be great nod to how dominant Davidson has been this season. It will also hint to how much more special she will be next season alongside Watkins in her return from injury and a stacked 2026 recruiting class.

Trojans Must Block Out the Noise and Stay Present

USC faces more than just Clemson. They also are going to have to withstand the environment. Playing in Columbia creates a pseudo road atmosphere, with the top-seeded South Carolina Gamecocks also looming in the the next round. That’s a trap.

The Trojans cannot afford to look ahead or get overwhelmed by the setting. Head coach Lindsay Gottlieb made it clear the team embraces energy, but controlling focus is the priority.

“I think we’re focused. We understand that we have work to do to prove what we’re capable of. There’s no lack of belief in the room,” Gottlieb said. “In terms of the experiences we’ve had together, this is where we’re supposed to be, and we’re going to go play our best basketball in the NCAA Tournament.”

USC’s season has been inconsistent, with a late skid entering the tournament. That makes mental discipline even more important. No distractions, no scoreboard watching, no South Carolina talk. Just Clemson. In a "win or go home" scenario, the Trojans must not beat themselves by being psyched out by the uphill battle ahead.

Mia Moore Leads a Hungry Clemson Squad

Clemson enters this game with a different kind of pressure and motivation. The Tigers are back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in seven years, marking just their second appearance in the last 25 years. Under head coach Shawn Poppie, this group has accelerated its rebuild faster than expected. At the center of it is senior guard Mia Moore.

Moore averaged 13.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.6 assists this season while earning Second Team All-ACC honors and becoming a WBCA All-America finalist. She has delivered big moments all year, including multiple 30-point games and a program-record 10 points in overtime in a win over the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.

Clemson plays with a chip on its shoulder and Moore sets that tone. The Tigers have already exceeded expectations. Now they’re looking to extend their run at the expense of the Trojans.

Prediction

USC Trojans win 68-62 over the Clemson Tigers at the Colonial Life Arena to keep their title hopes alive and advance to the Round of 32.

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