The USC Trojans are facing unfamiliar territory this season. After having a 7-2 record, the program has slipped into a tough stretch, struggling to find a rhythm in the Big 12 Conference. Lindsay Gottlieb’s side sits at 11-9, a sharp contrast to early success, as inconsistency and missed chances have pushed USC toward the lower end of the standings.

The latest defeat came at the hands of another seeded team in the Michigan Wolverines, who persevered 73-67. A 3-6 record in the Conference Play matchups means Lindsay & co. can already say goodbye to the season. Jazzy Davidson continues to impress in her freshman year, averaging 16 points per game. However, the results this season show just how important JuJu Watkins is to the USC setup.

The Sierra Canyon High School graduate was a star for the Trojans, averaging 25.5 points in the two seasons at USC. However, a torn ACL during the March Madness in 2025 saw her sidelined for a while. And it was later revealed that she has opted not to play the entire 2025-26 season in order to complete the rehabilitation and come back fully fit for the next season.

Now, Head Coach Lindsay Gottlieb and the entire USC staff have come under some heat from the fans, especially under the Instagram post made by the handle PostHer Hoops, which highlights the 59-9 record the college program had with JuJu Watkins, and the current struggles.

Fans are questioning Lindsay’s coaching ability after the current USC debacle

“Lindsay Gottlieb can’t coach been saying it since her days at Cal,” a fan said.

The fan is likely referring to her tenure as the head coach of the California Golden Bears. However, the record speaks otherwise. Lindsay took the Golden Bears to the NCAA Tournament in 7 of her 8 seasons, including 2012-13, when they reached the Final Four and finished the regular season with a 32-4 record.

Another fan highlighted,” It is time someone looks at Lindsay Gottlieb dead in the eyes and asks her bout this front court player(s).”

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The frontcourt has been a problem for the Trojans this season. Lindsay has persisted with starting Vivian Iwuchukwu over Laura Williams, and that, too, has irked many.

A kind fan offered prayers for Lindsay, “I pray for USC and Lindsay Gottlieb’s mental, wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy.”

This was mostly regarding the fourth-quarter collapse against the Michigan Wolverines. USC mounted a mammoth 31-13 third quarter to gain the lead in the game. However, turnovers and a lack of shooting proficiency saw them pocket only 9 points in the fourth quarter, leading to the defeat.

Some fans were empathetic to the situation, highlighting several reasons that have led to this 11-9 record this season. “They also lost most of their highly recruited freshman class in the portal,” one fan pointed out.

The whole USC program has undergone an overhaul because of the number of departures and graduations. Lindsay lost Kiki Iriafen, Rayah Marshall, and Talia van Oelhoffen, with the first two being drafted into the WNBA and the latter graduating from the University.

To add to it, Avery Howell, Clarice Akunwafo, Kayleigh Heckel, and Aaliyah Gayles all left the USC Trojans during the transfer portal, weakening the whole team. Lindsay brought in Kara Dunn and Dayana Mendes to try to compensate for the losses. But such an overhaul is bound to take time to adjust to, especially with their star JuJu Watkins not present.

Fans are hopeful for next season, though, with how Jazzy Davidson has progressed, especially as JuJu Watkins will be back to the USC active roster. One fan exclaimed, “They will definitely be hell to deal with next season with JuJu and Jazzy.”

Jazzy has been coming along really well this season, and with JuJu Watkins out, she has also seen more of the ball, which has inadvertently aided her development. So, when Juju and Jazzy combine next season, especially with Laura also showing promise, the USC Trojans will be out for retribution.