It’s been 40 years since USC women’s basketball was on top of the basketball world. With a new-look team and a preseason ranking, though, this year feels different already. However, after being overlooked for so long, the No. 21 Trojans will need to prove themselves, and will begin the road to March with a date with future Big Ten opponent No. 7 Ohio State in Las Vegas.

While USC might be entering a new era, Ohio State is coming off two deep March Madness runs. Ohio State has 10 returning players from last season, its best campaign in 30 years. Sophomore forward Cotie McMahon was vital for the Buckeyes last year in her debut season, with 15.1 points per game. 

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“[Ohio State] is a huge challenge for us. These are the kind of games you want to be in, but we have total respect for the team that they have returning,” said Head Coach Lindsay Gottlieb. “They’re a national championship contender.”

The Buckeyes’ defense is what got them over the hump last year. Ohio State managed to take down perennial powerhouse UConn in the Sweet Sixteen thanks to 25 forced turnovers by the Buckeyes. USC must look out for Head Coach Kevin McGuff’s aggressive defensive scheme to get the offense going.

Another Buckeye to watch out for is junior guard Taylor Thierry. As a sophomore, Thierry was among the top scorers on her team while averaging 2.1 steals per game.

The highly anticipated debut of top recruit freshman guard JuJu Watkins should spark the Trojans’ offense, but a tough opponent on the national stage to start the season will not be easy. With a long season ahead, though, improvement will come as returning players and new players, such as Watkins, adjust to each other.

“We play hard and I think our culture and chemistry are really good,” Gottlieb said. “We have more dynamic guard play, and we’re versatile and interchangeable, so that might make us harder to guard than in the past.”

Another big addition to the guard position was graduate transfer guard Kayla Padilla. Padilla averaged 17.4 points per game with the University of Pennsylvania last year, and while she will adjust to a new system, she has already had three consistently dominant seasons.

“When we’re really flowing, we can get it going on both ends, with our defense through the offense and vice versa,” Padilla said. “Being able to have a great balance on both sides is really going to serve as well, against any sort of competition.” 

The Trojans are destined to get back to their winning ways and certainly have the roster and coaching to do so. A matchup with a top team like Ohio State definitely won’t be a cakewalk, but USC will be determined to start with a splash, as a win like this could certainly set the tone for what is to come.

“I think we’re really good at seeing a problem and fixing it, like in the flow of when things are happening,” said redshirt sophomore guard Taylor Bigby. With the amount of guard depth on USC, Bigby will be a leader for the newer players. 

While the two teams have not played each other since 2006, this game will be a preview of what is to come as USC tips off its last Pac-12 season before joining the Big Ten. 

“I think we have the type of team that wants to be in these kinds of games, and so you have to give them that opportunity. I have confidence that it’s a huge challenge, but that we have the makeup within the team that we understand that these are the stages you want to play on,” Gottlieb said.

The journey to the NCAA Tournament starts now. Catch USC take on Ohio State on Monday at 11 a.m. at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.