The University of Southern California Women’s Basketball team revealed its full schedule for the 2026-27 season, which includes 13 nonconference games, 18 Big Ten Conference matchups, and the inaugural First Look exhibition at the Galen Center on October 25, 2026.
The Trojans will open the season with an exhibition game against Cal before launching their regular season on November 2 against UNLV at the Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas as part of the TNT Hall of Fame Series. Additional nonconference highlights include home games against Utah State and College of Charleston, a road trip to South Carolina, and tournament contests against Saint Joseph’s and Iowa State in the Bahamas. USC will also face marquee programs Baylor, Notre Dame, Duke, and Miami at venues such as the Intuit Dome in Inglewood and the Players Era Tournament in Las Vegas.
Big Ten play begins on December 5 at Washington. USC’s conference schedule features nine home games and nine away games, including two matchups against defending national champion UCLA. The regular season concludes February 28 at Oregon.
The Trojans return a strong core led by guard JuJu Watkins, the 2024-25 consensus National Player of the Year, along with National Freshman of the Year Jazzy Davidson and All-Big Ten Defensive Team member Kennedy Smith. The team also welcomes the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class, including Saniyah Hall, Australian standout Sitaya Fagan, and Spanish forward/center Sara Okeke. Transfers Pania Davis and Ryann Bennett add size and experience to what is projected as the tallest roster in program history under sixth-year head coach Lindsay Gottlieb.
Season tickets are currently available, with access to the First Look exhibition included. The Big Ten Tournament will be held March 3-7, 2027, in Las Vegas, followed by the NCAA Tournament culminating with the Final Four in Columbus, Ohio, on April 2 and 4. Further details on game times and broadcast information will be announced later.
CSB Take
USC Women’s Basketball’s demanding 2026-27 schedule reflects the program’s ambition to compete at the highest collegiate level. With JuJu Watkins leading and a top-ranked recruiting class bolstering the roster, the challenging nonconference slate combined with a full Big Ten campaign provides ample opportunity for growth and national recognition. How the Trojans perform against elite competition will be crucial in shaping their postseason prospects and enhancing USC’s prominence in women’s college basketball.
Source: Original report
