Top scorer Jordyn Jenkins among USC veterans in transfer portal

Earlier than Lindsay Gottlieb can rebuild USC, the roster is getting stripped all the way down to its studs.

Three veteran gamers have entered the switch portal because the Trojans completed 12-16 in Gottlieb’s first 12 months, together with main scorer Jordyn Jenkins and 2020 Pac-12 freshman of the 12 months Alissa Pili, a supply confirmed to The Occasions on Monday. Reserve middle Angel Jackson posted on Twitter on Sunday that she can be transferring to Jackson State after three years with the Trojans.

Jenkins was the Pac-12’s co-most improved participant final 12 months, main the staff in scoring with 14.8 factors per sport. The sophomore from Kent, Wash., additionally pulled down 6.7 rebounds per sport, which ranked second on the staff, and was USC’s lone All-Pac-12 honoree.

Jenkins posted a collection of photographs from her two seasons at USC on Instagram on Sunday with the caption “ceaselessly grateful. Cheers to new beginnings.”

Since changing into the fourth participant in program historical past to earn convention freshman of the 12 months accolades, Pili has struggled with accidents that decreased her taking part in time. She averaged 16.3 factors and eight rebounds per sport as a freshman and performed all 31 video games, however an ankle harm the next 12 months restricted the Anchorage, Alaska, native to 13 video games, throughout which she averaged 11 factors and three.8 rebounds. Pili performed in 19 video games this season, lacking a number of for private causes, with 7.8 factors and 4.5 rebounds in 19.2 minutes per sport. Pili’s older brother Brandon, a defensive lineman at USC, is anticipated to return this season after lacking final 12 months with an Achilles harm.

Jackson, a 6-foot-5 middle, was an All-American out of Salesian Excessive and performed in 30 video games as a freshman in 2019-20. She performed in simply 16 video games this 12 months, beginning 4, averaging 4.4 factors and three rebounds per sport.

The Trojans, who haven’t performed within the NCAA match since 2014, don’t have any gamers signed for the 2022 recruiting class. Their lone verbal dedication is from five-star level guard Aaliyah Gayles, the eighth-best participant within the class, based on ESPN’s rankings. USC is in place to lose 4 of its prime 5 scorers with Jenkins and Pili within the switch portal and transfers Jordan Sanders and Tera Reed graduating.