USC Trojans Fans Will Love This Early NCAA Tournament Projection

The USC Trojans women's basketball team, with the return of freshman star Jazzy Davidson, guard JuJu Watkins back at full strength, and a loaded 2026 recruiting class, is receiving high praise for its potential as a national championship contender next season.

According to ESPN, Charlie Creme's first women's bracketology projections, the Trojans are projected to be one of the top seeds in the NCAA Tournament next season. Creme has the Trojans as the No. 2 seed in the Las Vegas Region and hosting first and second round matchups at the Galen Center in Los Angeles.

The Duke Blue Devils are projected to be the No. 1 seed in the Las Vegas Region, with USC set to play host to No. 15 Wofford in the first round. The Villanova Wildcats (No. 7) and Gonzaga Bulldogs (No. 10) are projected to play in Los Angeles and could play the Trojans in the Round of 32.

This prediction would be quite the turnaround for USC, as last season the Trojans struggled throughout the season, finishing with an 18-14 overall record and going 9-9 in Big Ten play. The Trojans made the tournament, winning their first round game against the Clemson Tigers in an overtime thriller before falling to the eventual national runners-up South Carolina Gamecocks 101-61 in the Round of 32.

Why the USC Trojans Will Be National Championship Contender

While early projections don't translate to season success, the USC Trojans have a strong case to return to being one of the college basketball's top contenders next season, and rising sophomore guard Jazzy Davidson is one of those reasons.

In her freshman season with USC, Davidson made an immediate impact, leading the Trojans, averaging 17.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. Her leadership played a massive role in the Trojans reaching the tournament in a down year.

Entering her sophomore season, Davidson will continue to improve and get the first opportunity to play alongside JuJu Watkins, taking the Trojans to new heights next season.

Watkins missed the entire 2025-26 season recovering from a torn ACL, which she suffered during the 2025 tournament, where the Trojans eventually fell to the UConn Huskies in the Elite 8. During her two seasons with the Trojans, Watkins has averaged 25.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game.

Davidson and Watkins will share the court for the very first time, and their talent alone gives them the potential to be one of the most dominant backcourt duos in college basketball next season.

USC's Top-Ranked 2026 Recruiting Class

The arrival of USC's top-ranked 2026 recruiting class also gives the team the potential to make some noise next season. Forwards Sitaya Fagan and Saniyah Hall, along with center Sara Okeke, highlight what is an impressive class for the Trojans entering the 2026 season.

Hall much like Davidson did in her freshman season has the opportunity to make an immediate impact for the Trojans. Hall is rated as the No. 2 overall recruit in the 2026 recruiting class, per 247Sports.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, and X for the latest news.

This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/usc as USC Trojans Fans Will Love This Early NCAA Tournament Projection .

Copyright ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. All Rights Reserved.

This story was originally published May 3, 2026 at 5:00 PM.