Without superstar sophomore guard JuJu Watkins on Saturday night, the rest of the Trojans knew they needed to step up.

It wasn’t USC’s most experienced players, it was the dynamic freshman guard duo of Avery Howell and Kennedy Smith that dragged the Trojans (31-3, 17-1 Big Ten) to a 67-61 win over No. 5-seeded Kansas State (28-8, 13-5 Big 12) at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena.

It was close until the final buzzer, but stout defensive play that forced the Wildcats to miss their last 5 field goals iced USC’s spot in the Elite Eight for the second straight year.

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Howell — who grew up just over 400 miles away in Boise, Idaho — had the game of her collegiate career. She notched 18 points, tying a career-high, went 4 for 8 from behind the arc, and added six rebounds and four steals. 

Smith also stepped up on the defensive end with three steals of her own. There were numerous moments where the Trojans went cold, and Smith came up with a big steal or bucket to keep them in the game. She finished with 19 points and shot 50% from the field.

With Watkins tearing her ACL in the Round of 32, it was clear from the start her presence was sorely missed — especially on offense.

The first half was an ugly one for Head Coach Lindsay Gottlieb’s Trojans as they shot under 30% from the field, and didn’t seem to have much synergy. The experienced trio of graduate forward Kiki Iriafen, senior center Rayah Marshall and graduate guard Talia von Oelhoffen had little-to-no success shooting a combined 1-16.

Kansas State graduate center Ayoka Lee was a dominant presence in the paint. She was able to neutralize Marshall and Iriafen in the first half, totaling 7 defensive rebounds and three early blocks. Lee finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds, but didn’t have a block in the second half.

The Trojans were able to keep it a close game despite their early shooting woes as the Wildcats had similar problems. The Wildcats shot 34.5% and had seven turnovers that kept the contest close and a 30-28 game at the break.

A huge shift of momentum happened about six minutes through the third quarter. USC had been trailing all quarter, and Iriafen’s jumper finally went through. Howell followed it up with a putback layup on the next possession, and Iriafen made another jumper from the wing. Smith then forced a steal and took the ball all the way and laid it in for a 7-point USC lead.

The Trojans were able to put together more organized offensive possessions in the third quarter. They shot 60% in the quarter and had two more assists in the quarter than they had in the entire first half. But it was just a 48-45 lead into the final quarter for USC to keep their tournament hopes alive.

It was another signature defensive performance that ultimately helped get the Trojans to victory, as the Wildcats had 16 turnovers when it was all said and done. The 6-point win was a welcoming sight, but the Trojans know they’re not quite done yet in Spokane.

They’ve set themselves up for a rematch of last year’s Elite Eight with the ever-dominant UConn Huskies (34-3, 18-0 Big East) on Monday night.