Eleven days after its season ended with a loss to national title challenger South Carolina, the USC women’s basketball team is now dealing with personnel losses.
Forward Dayana Mendes and guard Malia Samuels intend to to enter the transfer portal, one year after the Trojans saw four players do the same.
Mendes, a 6-foot-3 sophomore, averaged 3.0 points and 2.8 rebounds per game in 32 games this season on a Trojans team that struggled to find its identity early without the star power of JuJu Watkins as she recovered from a torn ACL suffered in last year’s NCAA Tournament.
The Paris native, who arrived a year ago after one season at Washington State, scored a season-high 13 points in an 88-83 loss at then-No. 10 Ohio State on Feb. 22. She told On.3 of her intentions to transfer Saturday.
Samuels, a 5-foot-6 junior guard, announced her decision later in the day on her Instagram account with a lengthy message.
“This is undoubtedly one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make, and saying goodbye is even harder,” Samuels said in the social media post. “When I first stepped onto this campus as a 17-year-old, it quickly became my dream to be a part of this program and leave a lasting legacy.
“This chapter of my life has been pivotal in my growth, both as a person and as a basketball player and I am truly blessed to be able to become an alum of USC, forever cemented in the Trojan family.”
Recruited out of Garfield High in Seattle, Samuels spent three seasons with USC, earning the nickname “Pitbull” or “Pitty” for her aggressive style of play. She started 17 games this season and averaged 3.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game while playing 23.6 minutes per game.
USC (18-14) still reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament and beat Clemson in overtime in the first round before losing to South Carolina, which is playing in the national championship game against UCLA on Sunday.
Mendes was one of four transfers to join USC prior to the 2025-26 season along with Yakiya Milton, Londynn Jones and Kara Dunn. Dominique Darius, Aaliyah Gayles, Kayleigh Heckel and Avery Howell each transferred out of the program.
Dunn and Jones are out of eligibility and graduating, leaving the Trojans without their second- and fourth-leading scorers from this season. However, returning USBWA Freshman of the Year Jazzy Davidson and a healthy Watkins, combined with a talented incoming freshman class, could set USC up for success.
Head coach Lindsay Gottlieb and the Trojans signed their third straight No. 1-ranked recruit in the country in Saniyah Hall, a 6-foot-1 guard and McDonald’s All-American who has been noted for her ability to play anywhere on the floor.
They’ll also add Sitaya Fagan, a 6-foot-4 forward who enrolled early to train with the team, but did not play in any games this season. She’s an accomplished international player, and won gold with Australia at the 2025 FIBA U17 Women’s Oceania Cup.
