Cardinal and Gold are looking for their Elite Eight ratings this year.
After completing with a 29-6 record and advancing to the Elite Eight for the first time in 30 years, the USC Trojans’ 2023-24 season, their third under head coach Lindsay Gottlieb, could be described as a huge success.
But it turns out that the club is not satisfied with the prestige quo. Beyond the departures of MacKenzie Forbes (who is still home, as she was decided in the third round of this year’s WNBA Draft via the Los Angeles Sparks) and Kaitlyn Davis (who was selected shortly after by the New York Liberty), USC will regain the maximum of its core next season, and first-year All-American shooter JuJu Watkins, still 18, seems likely to make it to next season.
That hasn’t stopped Cardinal and Gold from making big strides through the NCAA’s moving portal or signing Gottlieb this summer.
It is on the front of the movement, in particular, that USC experts have made maximum progress. The team just added former Stanford Cardinals force forward Kiki Iriafen and former Oregon State Guard Talia Von Oelhoffen, who also helped the Beavers succeed in the Elite Eight at this year’s Big Dance.
According to Matt Zemek of Trojans Wire, Iriafen’s acumen as a mid-range shooter, in particular, may fill a critical need for USC.
“He has a clean and consistent game in the mid-range,” Zemek writes. “That’s where USC’s offense will play out dramatically. “
In addition, Zemek believes Iriafen is capable of thriving in the attacking zone alongside center back Rayah Marshall, a tall defender who has never been a shooter.
“Iriafen can score with more pitches on the field than Marshall,” Zemek continued. “He has a mid-range component to his game and can also push defenders to create shots. Marshall is more of a post and backhand player. When he scores, he’s more consistently within 4 to 5 feet of the basket. Iriafen has more tactics to attack and gives more speed, adding dribbling, as an attacking threat. He’s a type of express player that USC lacked last season to fill. that gap.
Zemek notes in another article that Von Oelhoffen is “a perfect defender and a brilliant goalkeeper” and helps the club’s top five.
The most recent addition, which includes five-star rookies Kennedy Smith, guard Avery Howell and guard Kayleigh Heckel, as well as four-star Vivian Iwuchukwu (sister of former USC men’s player Vincent), guard Rian Forestier and forward Laura Williams.
“If freshmen evolve to the point of constantly answering the buzzer when asked, this organization, which has five wonderful starting players and a lot of intensity in the role, can realize their full potential and then play for a national championship. April,” Zemek said elsewhere.
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