USC women's basketball uses 'next man up' mentality to power past K-State to Elite 8

Losing an incredible player for any team, even the USC women's basketball program is a significant hurdle to overcome. This is particularly true when the athlete in question is someone of the caliber of JuJu Watkins. Coach Lindsay Gottlieb, however, has insisted that the currently healthy players are more than capable of continuing to play well and continuing their March Madness run.

This collective approach proved to win out against Kansas State. Although the Wildcats were able to minimize the impact of Kiki Iriafen, her teammates found ways to make up for the absence of Watkins and the effective game plan of KSU.

Tape from this latest win should prove to be a scary film review for future opponents of this team. Not only did the Trojans find a way to advance, but they also showed a multifaceted approach to get a result. As mentioned during the broadcast, preparing for teams is an essential part of the NCAA tournament teams.

Watching tendencies and trying to find an advantage are immensely important at this stage of the game. This is particularly true when facing some of the better competition in the latter stages of the tournament. When teams, however, do not have a lot of minutes to watch of Watkins not being on the court, then this proves to be something of a difficult task.

The new look of the Women of Troy shows something different and continues to prove to be a force to be reckoned with. For now, there is still something of an element of surprise for opposing programs. Gottlieb has the luxury of being able to play with something of an element of surprise, and so far it is working to her advantage.

Individual USC women's basketball players to look for 

Rayah Marshall just went toe-to-toe and fared well against one of college basketball's best centers in Ayoka Lee. The senior's activity on both ends is a critical component that this USC team can lean on. Against opposing frontcourts, they can feel safe with her defending the rim and staying engaged offensively at a high level.

Talia von Oelhoffen and Kayleigh Heckel are both seeing increased time as ball handlers in the half-court setting. Capable scorers in their own right, the two Trojans are good at initiating the offense. They, furthermore, are capable of getting to their spot and beating their defenders off the dribble at any point as well. Few teams could lose an All-American guard and be able to turn to these high-caliber backcourt players.

Finally, Iriafen may have had a slow evening against K-State, but anyone doubting her ability hasn't paid attention to her career. The forward is a capable presence in the low post and is good at knocking down mid-range shots on a consistent basis.

Iriafen knows how to take over and is more than comfortable being the number one option on offense. Expect this last game to light something of a fire under her when the USC women's basketball program takes on UConn. The Huskies may have someone named Paige Bueckers, but Gottlieb has a highly capable group that will like their chances of advancing beyond the Elite 8.