USC women's basketball March Madness schedule: When do the Trojans play in the first round

The USC women's basketball team earned the top seed in the Spokane 4 region of the bracket. Coach Lindsay Gottlieb led her side to a 28-3 record, including 17-1 in Big Ten play. She will now prepare her players for UNC Greensboro. The Spartans amassed a 25-6 record while going 13-1 in the Southern Conference. 

The Trojans resume is as good as anyone's entering the NCAA tournament. Wins include those over Ohio State, Michigan State, UConn, and two victories over UCLA. Their loss in the BIG Final against UCLA is likely to fuel this group as they strive toward their ultimate goal of hoisting a championship.

Iowa and Kentucky are among the talented teams in USC's region. The notable inclusion of the Huskies has many basketball fans excited for a potential Elite 8 matchup further down the road. More immediately, the Trojans will need to focus on their SoCon opponent, with the winners of Mississippi State and California foreseeably waiting in the next round.

Naismith Women's College Player of the Year semifinalist, JuJu Watkins, has led the way in the scoring department. Her 24.6 points per game and 3.5 assists per game make her a difficult presence for opposing defenses to deal with each game. On the defensive side, the guard also averages 2.2 steals and 1.9 blocks per game. This ability and willingness to impact the court on both ends at a high level separates her from a lot of more one-dimensional superstars.

Kiki Iriafen also does her part. The senior is contributing 18.2 PPG on 49.9% shooting from the field. Talia von Oelhoffen averages a team-high 3.4 APG. At 1.4 steals per contest, the guard often does a good job of taking the ball away and getting the ball to her teammates in transition. Kennedy Smith is a freshman who has earned a consistent role as a first-year college player. Her 28.7 minutes per game and 9.5 PPG as well as 2.1 APG round out the starting backcourt. Rayah Marshall secures the boards with 8.2 rebounds per contest. She also does a good job of protecting the rim with 1.9 BPG.

In a year that has a lot of parity at the top, USC has a great argument for being rated higher by the so-called experts. Their selection as 'only' the fourth-best team in the nation can't remain the focus for too long, however. Coach Gottlieb knows that their energies will have to focus for their upcoming matchup with the Spartans. 

UNC Greensboro went undefeated during the conference regular season and tournament. They also faced upper Division 1 competition in a hostile environment. Trina Patterson's side traveled to Georgia and North Carolina in December. Although they lost to the ranked ACC school by 24, UNCG only fell to the SEC team by seven points.

An upset is always possible, but with Watkins and coach Gottlieb keeping the intensity up, that's unlikely for this matchup. 

How to watch USC vs. UNC Greensboro

• Date: Friday, March 212
• Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
• Venue: Galen Center (Los Angeles, CA)
• How to Watch: ABC
• USC record: 28-3 (15-1)
• UNC Greensboro record: 25-6 (7-5)