Jazzy’s Solo Act Hits a Sour Note
LOS ANGELES — For exactly ten minutes on Thursday night, Jazzy Davidson looked less like a freshman and more like a comic book superhero who had just discovered she could fly.
Davidson started the game against Maryland shot out of a cannon, torching the nets for 12 points in the first quarter and looking every bit the savior needed to snap USC's three-game skid. She was everywhere. It was electric. It was beautiful.
And then, apparently, someone unplugged the console.
In a twist that we didn't see coming, Davidson didn't score another single point for the rest of the game. Not one. The freshman phenom went 0-for-14 over the final three quarters, missing seven 3-pointers as the Maryland defense switched to a zone and essentially dared USC to beat them with literally anyone else.
Spoiler alert: They couldn't.
The "Fall-From-Ahead" Special
The Trojans fell 62-55, marking their fourth straight loss—a streak the program hasn't seen since the dark ages of 2021-22 (a.k.a. The Pre-JuJu Era).
This loss followed a familiar, painful script that fans should probably trademark by now.
vs. Oregon: Blew a 17-point lead.
vs. Minnesota: Blew a 13-point lead.
vs. Maryland: Built an 8-point lead, then seemingly decided points were overrated.
Coach Lindsay Gottlieb put a brave face on it: “No one wants to be in a situation where things are hard, but your only option is to figure it out.” Which is coach-speak for, "I really miss having a healthy roster."
The Offense: A Construction Project
Let’s be honest: USC’s offense right now has the structural integrity of a sandcastle at high tide. The Trojans are shooting 39.5% from the field and a "please-look-away" 67.6% from the free-throw line.
Without injured glue-player Kennedy Smith (who has missed three games and is sorely missed on the wing), the Trojans are rolling out lineups that look like a "Bring Your Kid to Work" day experiment. With Smith out, they are playing undersized guards Londynn Jones and Malia Samuels together, which leads to defensive rebounding issues and offensive spacing that feels like a crowded subway car.
Kara Dunn (21 points) was the only Trojan who realized the ball is supposed to go through the hoop on Thursday. The rest of the squad struggled to find the ocean from the beach.
The Elephant in the Room (And She’s Not Coming Back)
Let's rip the band-aid off: JuJu Watkins isn't walking through that door this season.
This roster was built with the idea that a generational talent would be there to cover up the cracks. Without her, those cracks look like canyons. Davidson is a defensive monster (leading the Big Ten in blocks!) and a transition terror, but asking a freshman to carry an entire offense against a Big Ten zone defense is like asking a teenager to fly a commercial airliner because they’re good at Microsoft Flight Simulator.
The "Gap Year" Dilemma
Here is the existential question for the Trojan faithful: What are we doing here?
Next year, JuJu returns. Jazzy slides to a more natural role. No. 1 recruit Saniyah Hall arrives. The Avengers assemble in 2026.
But right now? USC is riding heavy minutes from seniors like Dunn and Jones—players who won’t be here for the Renaissance. Meanwhile, young talents like Rian Forestier and Brooklyn Shamblin are stuck on the bench, presumably gathering dust.
The Trojans are 10-7, 2-4 in the Big Ten, and staring down a schedule that includes Michigan State, Michigan, and Iowa. This "rough patch" might just be the warm-up act.
Sanchez Verdict: The Trojans have grit, but grit doesn't put the ball in the basket. Unless someone other than Jazzy or Kara decides to start scoring, this losing streak might hang around longer than a bad houseguest.
