Michigan beat USC 73-67 at Crisler Center on January 25, 2026, erasing a five-point fourth-quarter deficit with a 13-0 run to open the final period. The win pushed the No. 7-ranked Wolverines to 17-3 overall and 8-1 in Big Ten play, while USC dropped to 11-9 and 3-6 in conference games.
This breakdown covers the complete Michigan women’s basketball vs USC women’s basketball match player stats from that game, including scoring, rebounding, shooting splits, and the fourth-quarter sequence that decided the outcome. Every number here comes directly from the official box score.
What sets this recap apart from a simple final score is the quarter-by-quarter context: USC actually outscored Michigan 31-13 in the third quarter to erase a 16-point deficit, only for the Wolverines to answer with one of the more decisive fourth-quarter runs of their Big Ten season. We’ve applied the same box-score-first format here that we used for our Iowa Hawkeyes vs Indiana Hoosiers match player stats breakdown, so you’re getting verified numbers, not narrative filler.
Michigan Women’s Basketball vs USC Women’s Basketball Match Player Stats
Michigan won 73-67 in front of 4,692 fans at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Wolverines led by as many as 16 points in the first half, saw that lead nearly vanish in the third quarter, then closed the game with a 13-0 run to start the fourth.
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USC | 11 | 16 | 31 | 9 | 67 |
| Michigan | 23 | 17 | 13 | 20 | 73 |
Michigan shot 48.4 percent from the field compared to USC’s 42.9 percent, and forced 21 USC turnovers that turned into 23 points. That turnover margin, more than any single shooting stretch, explains why Michigan controlled most of the game despite the third-quarter wobble.
How the Fourth-Quarter Run Decided the Game
USC led 58-53 entering the fourth quarter after a third-quarter surge erased Michigan’s 16-point cushion. Michigan responded with a 13-0 run built on five different scoring plays in under three minutes: a fadeaway hook shot, a coast-to-coast steal, and a string of jumpers that ended with a Syla Swords three-pointer forcing USC’s second timeout of the quarter.
That sequence pushed Michigan’s lead to 66-58 with just over five minutes remaining. USC cut the gap to four points twice more, but never got closer, and a late Olivia Olson jumper closed the door with 41 seconds left.
Michigan opened the fourth quarter on a 13-0 run, turning a five-point deficit into an eight-point lead in under three minutes — the single biggest swing of the game and the sequence that decided the final score.
Olivia Olson and Mila Holloway Lead Michigan’s Balanced Attack
Olivia Olson led all scorers with 24 points and eight rebounds on 10-of-20 shooting, adding four steals against just two turnovers in 37 minutes. Mila Holloway added 13 points, eight assists, and six rebounds, running Michigan’s offense efficiently on 5-of-8 shooting including 2-of-3 from three-point range.
Five Wolverines scored in double figures. Syla Swords (10 points), Brooke Quarles Daniels (10 points, 4 assists, 3 steals), and Ashley Sofilkanich (10 points on 5-of-8 shooting in just 22 minutes) rounded out the balanced scoring effort that let Michigan absorb USC’s third-quarter surge without losing the game.
| Player | Min | Pts | Reb | Ast | FG | 3PT | FT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olivia Olson | 37 | 24 | 8 | 2 | 10-20 | 0-4 | 4-7 |
| Mila Holloway | 35 | 13 | 6 | 8 | 5-8 | 2-3 | 1-2 |
| Syla Swords | 38 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 3-12 | 1-5 | 3-4 |
| Brooke Quarles Daniels | 36 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 4-7 | 0-0 | 2-2 |
| Ashley Sofilkanich | 22 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5-8 | 0-0 | 0-1 |
Our take: Michigan’s depth was the real difference-maker in this game. USC leaned heavily on two players for its offense, while Michigan spread scoring across five starters, which meant no single defensive matchup could shut the Wolverines down for long. Michigan is coached by Kim Barnes Arico, who has built the program into a consistent NCAA Tournament contender over her tenure, and that depth-first roster construction shows up directly in a box score like this one.
Kara Dunn and Jazzy Davidson Carry USC’s Offense
Kara Dunn was USC’s best player on the night, scoring 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting with 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals in 35 minutes. She hit 3 of 7 three-point attempts and was largely responsible for USC’s third-quarter comeback, scoring repeatedly in isolation and transition off a hot shooting stretch that briefly erased Michigan’s lead entirely.
Jazzy Davidson added 11 points and a team-high 7 assists, though she also committed 4 turnovers. Beyond Dunn and Davidson, USC’s scoring dropped off sharply, and the Trojans got only 19 bench points compared to Michigan’s 6, which points to a starter-heavy load that wore down late. USC is led by head coach Lindsay Gottlieb, who guided the program to a Big Ten Tournament final appearance the previous season, and this game showed both the ceiling and the fragility of a roster that depends heavily on two or three players.
USC’s Third-Quarter Surge, By the Numbers
USC scored 31 points in the third quarter alone, shooting 73.3 percent from the field and 100 percent from three-point range (4-of-4) during that stretch. That single quarter briefly flipped a 16-point deficit into a USC lead, showing how quickly momentum can shift in Big Ten women’s basketball, even against a team as deep as Michigan.
Team Stats Breakdown: Turnovers, Paint Points, and Bench Production
The Wolverines out-rebounded USC 34-32 and forced 21 turnovers against only 12 of their own, according to University of Michigan Athletics’ official box score, while scoring 44 points in the paint compared to USC’s 28. Those three categories, rather than three-point shooting, decided the game.
| Category | USC | Michigan |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goal % | 42.9% (24-56) | 48.4% (30-62) |
| 3-Point % | 30.4% (7-23) | 23.1% (3-13) |
| Free Throw % | 75.0% (12-16) | 62.5% (10-16) |
| Rebounds | 32 | 34 |
| Turnovers | 21 | 12 |
| Steals | 7 | 11 |
| Points in the Paint | 28 | 44 |
| Bench Points | 19 | 6 |
USC actually shot a better percentage from three and from the free-throw line, but Michigan’s paint scoring and turnover margin overwhelmed those advantages. A single limitation worth flagging: USC’s 19 bench points against Michigan’s 6 shows the Trojans’ reserves were genuinely productive in a losing effort, which the final score alone doesn’t capture, and a reader relying only on the scoreboard would miss that detail entirely.
What This Game Means for Both Teams’ Big Ten Standing
Michigan improved to 17-3 overall and 8-1 in Big Ten play with the win, keeping pace near the top of the conference standings. The Wolverines followed this result with a 95-67 road win at Indiana four days later, extending their winning streak. If you’re tracking Michigan’s stretch of Big Ten play more broadly, our Colorado Buffaloes vs BYU match player stats breakdown uses the same format for tracking conference performance week to week.
USC fell to 11-9 overall and 3-6 in Big Ten games, a difficult stretch for a program that has typically been ranked among the conference’s stronger teams in recent seasons. For a look at how another Big Ten program has handled a similarly uneven conference schedule, our Utah State Aggies vs Vanderbilt match player stats piece breaks down a comparable mid-season slide.
If you’re tracking this matchup for research purposes, Michigan’s turnover-forcing defense is the more reliable predictor of outcomes than either team’s three-point shooting, which varied significantly quarter to quarter in this game — USC shot 100 percent from three in the third quarter alone and still lost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Michigan vs USC women’s basketball game?
Michigan won 73-67 at Crisler Center on January 25, 2026. The Wolverines trailed by five points entering the fourth quarter but closed the game on a 13-0 run to take control for good.
Who had the most points in the Michigan vs USC women’s basketball game?
Olivia Olson led all scorers with 24 points on 10-of-20 shooting for Michigan, adding 8 rebounds and 4 steals. Kara Dunn led USC with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 steals in the loss.
How many points did Michigan score in the fourth quarter comeback?
Michigan scored the first 13 points of the fourth quarter without allowing USC to score, turning a 58-53 deficit into a 66-58 lead in roughly three minutes of game time.
Why did USC lose despite a strong third quarter?
USC scored 31 points in the third quarter to erase a 16-point deficit, but the Trojans committed 21 turnovers for the game and were outscored 44-28 in the paint, which outweighed their hot shooting stretch.
Have Michigan and USC women’s basketball played before this game?
Yes. The two programs also met in March 2025, when USC won 82-70 in a Big Ten Tournament semifinal, according to Fox Sports’ coverage of that matchup. Michigan reversed that result in the January 2026 regular-season meeting.
What is Michigan women’s basketball’s record after beating USC?
Michigan improved to 17-3 overall and 8-1 in Big Ten play with the win, and followed it with a 95-67 win at Indiana four days later.
Final Thoughts
The Michigan women’s basketball vs USC women’s basketball match player stats from this game tell a story of two very different paths to a close final score: Michigan’s balanced scoring and turnover-forcing defense against USC’s star-driven third-quarter surge that ultimately fell short. Olivia Olson’s 24-point, 8-rebound performance combined with Mila Holloway’s 8 assists gave Michigan enough control to survive USC’s hot shooting stretch from Kara Dunn and Jazzy Davidson.
If you’re following either program through Big Ten play, watch how Michigan’s rebounding margin holds up against deeper frontcourts, since that edge was the difference in this game. For the full possession-by-possession detail, the official box score is worth reviewing directly.
I am Clark, a passionate blogger based in California. I write about everything that inspires everyday life — from fashion and lifestyle. Whether you’re looking for fresh ideas, useful tips, or simply a good read, you’ve found the right place.