LOS ANGELES — Kiki Iriafen exploded for 23 points, while JuJu Watkins contributed 20, helping the fourth-ranked Southern California team maintain its dominance over Minnesota with an 82-69 victory on Thursday night. This win marked the Trojans’ impressive 15th consecutive victory.

Watkins, who currently leads the Big Ten in scoring with an average of 24.6 points per game, struggled initially in the game. She missed her first ten attempts from the floor and finished the night with a shooting percentage reflecting 7 out of 24. By halftime, she had only managed to put 2 points on the scoreboard, both coming from free throws. Her first field goal finally came just 16 seconds into the third quarter when she hit a pullup jumper.

In addition to their scoring, both Iriafen and Watkins recorded double-doubles for the game, each grabbing 11 rebounds. This effort marked Iriafen’s seventh double-double of the current season and the fourth one for Watkins.

Sophie Hart led the way for Minnesota with 18 points, while Mallory Heyer added a solid contribution with 17 points.

Notably, sophomore Grace Grocholski for Minnesota managed to score eight points, thereby ending a streak of seven consecutive games where she found herself in double figures. For the Trojans, this matchup was particularly meaningful, as it marked their first home game in a span of 18 days. Their scheduled game against Northwestern on January 15 was postponed due to ongoing wildfires.

A pivotal moment in the game occurred when the Gophers mounted an impressive comeback, scoring 12 consecutive points that brought the score to 64-58 with just over eight minutes remaining. However, the Trojans quickly responded, executing a decisive 10-2 run, highlighted by seven points from Watkins, which ultimately secured their victory.

Despite facing challenges, the Trojans managed to overcome a lackluster shooting performance in the first half, where they shot only 35.9% from the field, finishing the first 20 minutes with 14 successful shots out of 39 attempts. They rebounded in the second half, making 16 out of 27 shots.

Looking ahead, both teams are set to return to the court on Sunday. Minnesota will remain in Southern California to take on the top-ranked UCLA team, while USC will travel to Iowa for a game that will be broadcast nationally.