USC women's basketball delivered one of its most complete performances of the season on January 29, 2026, dismantling No. 8 Iowa 81-69 at the Galen Center. Kara Dunn scored 25 points to surpass 1,500 career points, Jazzy Davidson added 21, and the Trojans never trailed after opening the game on a blistering 10-2 run.
This was the upset nobody saw coming. USC entered the game at 11-9, losers of six of their last seven. Iowa came in riding an eight-game winning streak and a perfect 9-0 Big Ten record. The Hawkeyes left Los Angeles with their first conference loss of the season and a lot of questions to answer.
Kara Dunn was sensational. The senior guard's 25-point, 12-rebound double-double was a masterclass in veteran leadership. She hit the milestone 1,500th career point on a three-pointer that halted Iowa's first scoring push, and she finished the first quarter on a personal heater that helped USC build a 28-13 lead.
Dunn's post-game comments about what it means to score 1,500 points in a Trojan uniform were genuinely moving. The Georgia Tech transfer spoke about finding a coach who believed in her and being able to play her version of basketball under Lindsay Gottlieb.
Jazzy Davidson continued her ridiculous freshman season with 21 points, a career-high eight assists, and four rebounds. The 18th consecutive game in double figures for Davidson cemented her status as one of the best freshmen in the country. She opened the scoring with a three-pointer and never let Iowa get comfortable.
Londynn Jones chipped in 17 points on 7-for-11 shooting, and Kennedy Smith added 12 points and five rebounds off the bench. USC's depth was the story — four players in double figures against one of the best teams in the Big Ten.
The Hawkeyes came into Los Angeles dealing with the emotional aftermath of Taylor McCabe's season-ending ACL injury. McCabe's absence forced Addie Deal into the starting lineup, and while Deal had been excellent recently — averaging 12 points in her last four games — the adjustment was evident early.
Iowa's defense simply couldn't contain USC's perimeter attack. The Trojans — a team that had struggled from three-point range all season — went 5-for-10 from deep in the first quarter alone. Early foul trouble compounded the problem, with Hannah Stuelke, Kylie Feuerbach, and Taylor Stremlow each picking up two fouls before halftime.
The Hawkeyes did mount a response in the second quarter, using a 15-0 run to cut the deficit. Taylor Stremlow hit back-to-back three-pointers to make it 43-37 at halftime, and for a moment it looked like Iowa's championship pedigree would take over.
Then the third quarter happened.
Iowa briefly got within three points early in the third quarter on a Journey Houston layup. That's when USC unleashed an 18-2 avalanche to close the period and effectively end the game. Londynn Jones hit two three-pointers during the run. Kennedy Smith scored eight points. Davidson capped it with a three to open the fourth that gave USC its largest lead at 22 points.
The Trojans outscored Iowa 27-14 in the third quarter. When USC is locked in defensively and hitting shots, they're a nightmare matchup for anyone in the Big Ten. The problem all season has been consistency, but on this night, they looked like the preseason top-25 team everyone expected.
For USC (12-9, 4-6 Big Ten), this is a potential season-turning win. Coach Lindsay Gottlieb's team had been maddening all year — competitive in almost every game but unable to close out quality opponents. Five of their six January losses came by seven points or fewer. This 12-point victory over a top-10 team could be the catalyst for a strong second-half push.
For Iowa (18-3, 9-1), it's a wake-up call but not a crisis. The Hawkeyes are still one of the best teams in the country, and losing on the road in Los Angeles with a depleted roster isn't the end of the world. But the immediate challenge of facing No. 2 UCLA just two days later means Iowa has to process this loss quickly.
The bottom line: USC proved that talent and desperation are a dangerous combination. Dunn and Davidson are as good a 1-2 punch as any in the Big Ten when they're both cooking. If the Trojans can bottle this performance, the NCAA Tournament is very much in play. For Iowa, this is a speed bump — but in a conference this deep, there are no easy nights.