The USC Trojans are Sweet 16 bound after beating the Kansas Jayhawks 73-55

USC Trojans #12 JuJu Watkins (G) being guarded by Texas A&M #24 Voleta Verano (G). Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1

LOS ANGELES, CA - The USC Trojans' 30-year drought is over as they advance to the Sweet 16 to take on the Baylor Bears after beating the Kanas Jayhawks 73-55 in the 2nd Round of the NCAA Tournament.

USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb, as she was standing at mid-court after the game, you could see the joy in her eyes after the game.

"For us, I don't know if there's enough words," Gottlieb said after the game. "I'm elated, I'm joyed, I'm proud and overjoyed. For this to be the last time that our senior group is playing in this building, I just want them to understand how special it was out here. It was electric, both games and it means so much."

JuJu Watkins led the Trojans in scoring with 28 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists, McKenzie Forbes with 20 points, and Kayla Padilla and Rayah Marshall each had 9 points. S'Mya Nichols led the Jayhawks in scoring with 22 points, and Taiyanna Jackson with 10 points.

"It's just been really fun to see this place come back to life," said Forbes, a graduate transfer from Harvard. "We didn't want to leave the court. They had that place jumping.

USC Trojans #34 Clarice Akunwafo had six block shots against the Kansas Jayhawks. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.

Clarice Ankunwafo on defense impacted the game for USC with six block shots, nine rebounds, and three steals, and the Trojans scored 25 points off of the 18 turnovers by Kansas.

Watkins got the crowd into the game early with a three-pointer to give USC a 3-0 lead in the first quarter. McKenzie Forbes would give the Trojans a 12-5 lead after knocking down a three-point shot. The Jayhawks would trail at the end of the first quarter 17-9 after Zakiyah Franklin’s jump shot.

USC led by fifteen points in the second quarter, 27-12, when Kayla Padilla made a three-point shot from the right side of the court. Kansas would trail at halftime 33-24 when S'Mya Nichols was fouled on her made layup and made her free throw.

USC Trojans #25 McKenzie Forbes three-pointer deep behind the three-point line. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.

The Jayhawks would make a late run in the third quarter when Nichols made a layup that had them down 47-41. Kansas would trail by one point, 47-46, with two free throws by Holly Kersgieter.

Watkins would respond with a three-pointer and two free throws later to help give the Trojans a 53-46 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Akunwafo would drive to the basket for a layup to give USC a twelve-point lead, 58-46, in the fourth quarter. Kansas trailed 71-55 after Wyvette Mayberry's three-point shot.

USC would advance to the Sweet 16 as the players after the game would go around the Galen Center shaking the hands of their fans, thanking them for their support at home before they had to Portland.