USC freshmen lead Trojans past K-State and into Elite Eight without JuJu Watkins

A strong team performance was needed from the USC women's basketball team in Spokane. Their combined efforts proved to be enough as the Trojans defeated the Kansas State Wildcats 67-61 in the Sweet 16. This game showed a good, well-balanced team that can attack opponents in multiple ways.

Playing without JuJu Watkins, the younger talent needed to have a big role. Kennedy Smith and Avery Howell, in particular, had excellent performances in the state of Washington, as the freshmen led the way in scoring.

Their combined 13-of-25 from the field was enough for an impressive combined 37 points. The scoring is obviously an important aspect, but there is more to their contributions than just that. Without Watkins, as seen against Mississippi State, there can be, at times, a noticeable void in the spirit of the team. Watching the first-year college players, including Kayleigh Heckel, play with a clear confidence was inspiring in the victory.

Usually in deep tournament runs, experience and upperclassmen win out, leaning on their years competing at the college level to elevate their play when it matters most. On Saturday, however, the three freshmen not only saw an increased role in the rotation but also paved the way to the Elite 8.

For coach Lindsay Gottlieb, this shows what a good job she does developing the entirety of the team over the course of the season. Many point to the so-called 'next man up' mentality, but that only goes so far if the talent isn't there to match.

Fortunately for the Women of Troy, coach Gottlieb has done a great job on the recruiting trail. The young backcourt trio shows just how bright of a future USC has. Against KSU, Smith did an excellent job of setting the tone early. Not only in the points department, but she was aggressive and put a lot of stress on the Wildcats defense.

More importantly, her activity on the other end and ability to harass the opposing guards often took Kansas State out of their offense and gifted the Trojans extra possessions. These moments of extra energy and attentiveness are exactly what will be needed for this group to make it to Tampa Bay.

Then Howell did well within the half-court setting. Her 4-of-8 from range proved to be massive in a game in which only two of her other teammates made only a single three-pointer. This ability to knock down timely shots will only help to stretch defenses moving forward and will be something the UConn scout team will be focused on.

Notable freshman performance for USC women's basketball

Finally, Heckel also did well in her efforts off the bench. In 24 minutes, the guard scored eight points. She showed an ability to beat her defender off the dribble and get to the basket on a repeated basis. Having the ability to unconsciously continue to win 1-on-1s and get a good shot from self-made offense is a great asset for coach Gottlieb to turn to.

Young talent often needs to play older than it is when a superstar goes down. The freshmen showed that they can and did a tremendous job in ensuring that the USC women's basketball journey during this year's March Madness wouldn't come to an end, at least not yet.