USC Women's Basketball: Returning Big Earns Major Pac-12 Preseason Honors

Here's hoping she continues to develop as a junior.

Your USC Women of Troy have one representative that the Pac-12 conference believes will tower above her teammates.

Per Pac-12.com, 6'4" junior center/forward Rayah Marshall has been named to the Pac-12 2023-24 Preseason All-Conference Team by a survey of pertinent media members. It's a bit surprising that freshman USC guard Juju Watkins, the top recruit among her high school class, didn't make the preemptive cut.

USC numbers among just three of the programs in the conference (the others being Arizona and Oregon) to not get at least two honorees.

Marshall, the club's highest-scoring returning player, is considered one of the best defenders in the nation. During her sophomore season in 2022-23, the Lynwood High School alum made the All-Pac-12 Team and the All-Pac-12 Defensive Team. She was also a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award. 

Across 28 minutes last year, she averaged 12.7 points, an eye-popping 11.5 rebounds, an insane 3.5 blocks, 1.5 steals and 1.4 assists a night. 

The Women of Troy as a collective unit had a fairly disappointing March Madness run, following a solid 21-10 regular season finish. USC was eliminated in its first game of the NCAA Tournament last spring, losing 62-57 in overtime against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits.

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