Thursday night at the Galen Center presented a classic “tale of two trajectories.” On one side, the Wisconsin Badgers entered the arena struggling through a late-season slide; on the other, a USC squad hitting their stride at exactly the right time. Despite the disparate records, the game began as a gritty defensive battle before the Women of Troy pulled away to secure their invitation to the “Big Dance.”
A Sluggish Start and a Strong Response
The game opened with more defense than offense. USC looked uncharacteristically out of rhythm early on, managing just one field goal in the opening six minutes. Wisconsin took advantage of the cold spell, jumping out to a modest 6-2 lead.
However, the momentum shifted once the duo of Smith and freshman phenom Jazzy Davidson found their range. USC closed the first quarter with a 14-11 lead and never looked back. By the middle of the second quarter, that lead ballooned to double digits at 23-13. The Women of Troy headed into the locker room at halftime leading 30-22, with Kari Dunn and Davidson combining for 18 of the team’s 30 points.
The Jazzy Davidson Show
The second half belonged entirely to Davidson. The standout freshman put on a clinic, dropping 14 points in the half and terrorizing the Wisconsin defense. She appeared to be on the verge of eclipsing her career-high of 27 points (set earlier this month against Illinois) before being sidelined by cramps with just 2:30 left on the clock.
Even with their star freshman on the bench for the closing minutes, USC had done enough to keep the Badgers at arm’s length.
The Final Outlook
While the Badgers showed plenty of heart to keep the final score a respectable 66-59, the outcome felt inevitable. For Wisconsin, the loss marks their seventh defeat in a row and their ninth in the last 11 games. Now sitting at 13-14, the Badgers fall under .500, likely ending their hopes for Big Ten postseason play.
For USC, the energy couldn’t be higher. With a six-game winning streak and an improved 17-9 record, the Women of Troy have officially secured their spot in the NCAA Tournament. They are proving to be one of the most dangerous teams in the country heading into March.
