No. 4 USC is facing No. 8 Maryland in an exciting Big Ten matchup on Wednesday night. The game is set for 8:30 p.m. ET at XFINITY Center.
The Big Ten is one of the toughest conferences in women's basketball, and USC is one of the new additions that has made it even more competitive. The Trojans entered the 2024-25 campaign with high expectations, and so far they are having a strong season -- minus a loss to Hannah Hidalgo's Notre Dame Fighting Irish in November.
Meanwhile, Maryland has exceeded expectations as one of the five teams from a major conference that still has an undefeated record. The Terrapins' 14-0 start is their best since the 2011-12 season, and is just four wins shy of their best overall start.
USC holds a 4-1 advantage in their all-time series, but they haven't faced each other since Dec. 4, 1993. Wednesday's matchup will feature USC star JuJu Watkins and Maryland's Kaylene Smikle, who shared the Big Ten's Co-Player of the Week honors.
Where to watch No. 4 USC vs. No. 8 Maryland
- When: Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 8:30 p.m. ET
- Where: XFINITY Center -- College Park, Maryland
- TV: FS1
- Streaming: fubo (try for free)
- Follow: CBS Sports App
USC riding 10-game winning streak
The Trojans suffered a 74-61 loss against Notre Dame on Nov. 23, but Lindsay Gottlieb still has one of the most dangerous teams in the nation. USC, which is 14-1 with a 4-0 mark in Big Ten play and has won 10 straight since the loss in South Bend, picked up its strongest win of the season late in December with a 72-70 victory against UConn.
Gottlieb's team is led by the duo of Watkins and Kiki Iriafen. Watkins, who broke the freshman all-time scoring record last season, is third in the nation in scoring with an average of 25.1 points per game. Meanwhile, Iriafen is contributing 17.9 points per game while putting up a team-best nine rebounds per contest.
Watkins and Iriafen have scored in double digits in all 15 USC games this season.
Maryland thriving with new-look roster
The Terrapins are fresh off a 74-66 road win against No. 23 Iowa in which Smikle registered a season-high 26 points. She is leading the team with 18.1 point per game, and has scored in double figures in 13 straight games. However, Maryland's offense is much deeper than just her as there are six Terrapins averaging over eight points per contest.
Other big wins for Maryland this season include Duke and Michigan State. Being undefeated in January is an impressive accomplishment, especially given the fact that Brenda Frese added 10 new players to this roster, including seven transfers.
