A 40-point defeat is not something any team can easily move on from. For the USC Trojans, their 101-61 loss to South Carolina in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament was a particularly painful way to end their season. And while Jazzy Davidson led the Trojans in scoring with 16 points, the freshman star has not forgotten the disappointment of that night.

“I would be lying if I said I haven’t been thinking about that game every day since we lost,” Davidson said on SportsCenter, as shared by ESPNW on Instagram. “So I’m just very excited to get out on the court with our team. And again, they’re an amazing team, great coach, obviously. And so it’s always fun to get to play against really high-level talent and coaching and kind of see where we stack up against that.”

In other words, USC has a score to settle with South Carolina, and Davidson cannot wait. Fortunately, the National Freshman of the Year will not have to wait long. The rematch is scheduled for Sunday, November 15, a non-conference showdown that tips off at 1:00 PM ET at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina.

Following their national runner-up finish last season, the South Carolina Gamecocks are entering the 2026/27 college basketball season with another championship in their sights. The Gamecocks, who fell short against USC’s crosstown rival, the UCLA Bruins, in last season’s national championship game, have been voted the preseason No. 1 team in the nation in both the official Associated Press preseason poll and the CBS Sports Power Rankings. Dawn Staley’s squad received 23 of 31 first-place votes to edge out UConn at No. 2, while Jazzy Davidson’s USC Trojans came in at No. 3.

The Trojans will be hoping for sweet revenge, and if they get it, Jazzy Davidson will be crucial. Even as a freshman, the five-star guard led the Women of Troy last season, averaging 17.9 points, 4.1 assists, 5.6 rebounds, 2.0 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game.

With that stat line, she completed a historic sweep, ranking first on the Trojans in every major statistical category. In fact, she was also the only Division I player in the country, men’s or women’s, to lead her entire team across all of those metrics. With star guard JuJu Watkins sidelined for the 2025/26 season recovering from an ACL injury, Davidson just had to take over the floor.

Watkins is now back, making her highly anticipated return on October 25, 2026, in an exhibition against the California Golden Bears. And with her on the floor, the Trojans definitely have more fight in them, and it is fair to hope another 40-point defeat will be off the table.

But before facing the Gamecocks, the Trojans still have three games to play, opening the regular season against UNLV on Monday, followed by Utah State and Charleston. All three definitely give Jazzy Davidson and Watkins the chance to build rhythm together ahead of their highest-profile test of the early season.

Lindsay Gottlieb Explains How JuJu Watkins’ Return Eases the Burden on Jazzy Davidson at USC

For USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb, one of the biggest draws of Jazzy Davidson joining the Trojans was the chance to play alongside the best, including JuJu Watkins. Unfortunately, Watkins tore her ACL on March 24, 2025, in the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the end of her sophomore year, before Davidson ever arrived. And much of the responsibility of carrying the team fell on the freshman.

“I think she came to USC expecting to play with JuJu and others,” Gottlieb said during recent preseason media availability. “But with unforeseen circumstances, it was different. She took on that experience for everything that it could give her. It helped her grow her game. It helped her grow in experience.”

With JuJu Watkins now back on the court, Davidson will undoubtedly continue to be a major contributor for the Trojans. However, it is safe to say that the freshman standout will no longer have to shoulder quite as much of the responsibility as she did last season.

“She will still do everything for us. It’s not just different; maybe not the same burden. But she is a multitalented, versatile player. We will ask her to do those things, just in a way where she gets to play alongside some other amazing players,” Gottlieb added.

Having both players available together is something Gottlieb has been looking forward to seeing. And now, with Watkins finally back from her injury, the USC head coach will get to see the two stars share the court and showcase the chemistry they have developed.

“Watching them in practice, I’m like, ‘Oh, this’ll be nice when we have them both.’ Their chemistry is incredible. They’re obviously both such high-talented players that make those around them better,” Gottlieb said.

Their exhibition game against the California Golden Bears has already provided a glimpse of what the two could accomplish together on the court. Both Watkins and Jazzy Davidson finished with 18 points apiece, while Davidson also dished out seven assists. With both stars already showing their ability to complement each other, the early signs are certainly encouraging for the Trojans as they prepare for the new season.

If the early signs hold, Davidson will walk into that November 15 rematch with a lighter burden, a stronger supporting cast, and every reason to believe the 40-point loss can be avenged.