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On Saturday afternoon, No. 3 USC is hosting No. 6 Notre Dame, and neither team will be in for an easy game.
The Trojans will be favored at home and have the slight edge, but the Fighting Irish are stacked in their own right. This non-conference matchup will start at 4 p.m. ET and can be viewed on NBC/Peacock.
How the Trojans can win
You know her name by now—it’s JuJu Watkins. The sophomore is one of the most electrifying players in college basketball, averaging 21.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. She is the main reason USC is favored to reach the Final Four this season.
No player does it alone, and Watkins is part of a “Big 3” that features senior forward Kiki Iriafen and graduate guard Talia von Oelhoffen. Iriafen has quickly adjusted after transferring to USC from Stanford, flirting with a double-double each game as she averages 17.3 points and 7.5 rebounds. Von Oelhoffen has had a slow start to the season, scoring just 5.3 points per game, but she’s second on the team in assists with 4.5. She also had the game-clinching free throws in the season opener in Paris against No. 20 Ole Miss.
For USC, it’s all about getting this trio moving and grooving early. If they do that, they’ll be able to protect home court and walk away from this battle of the unbeatens undefeated.
How the Fighting Irish can win
Besides simply interrupting Watkins’ offensive game as much as possible, Notre Dame needs big games from sophomore guard Hannah Hidalgo and senior guard Olivia Miles.
Hidalgo arguably has been just as good as any guard in the nation. She’s averaging 25 points per game on 50 percent shooting, while grabbing 6.3 rebounds per game. Miles is a top draft prospect who has been equally impressive in the backcourt, scoring 18.3 points and securing eight rebounds per game.
Going guard for guard with USC is tough, but the counter for Notre Dame could be getting their frontcourt going. Freshman Kate Koval dominates the glass with 13 rebounds; she’s also scoring 12.8 points a night. Playing well in such a high-profile game might be asking too much of her, but the pressure and standards at Notre Dame are always high, and a big performance on Saturday could be her coming out party. Liatu King, a transfer from Pitt, can also turn the tables on this contest. She has a nose for the rim and is averaging 17.7 points per game.
After this showdown, one team will take a stronger place near the top of the sport, and the other will see the dream of a perfect season die. Regardless of the result, expect elite hoops.
Game information
No. 3 USC Trojans (4-0) vs. No. 6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4-0)
When: Saturday, Nov. 23 at 4 p.m. ET
Where: Galen Center in Los Angeles, CA
How to watch: NBC/Peacock