Playing for USC was a dream for forward Rayah Marshall. During her junior season, she aided the Women of Troy basketball team to national prominence. Marshall made 10.2 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, helping the Women of Troy to a 29-6 overall record.
“I feel like our team has so much hunger and so much intensity going through that time,” Marshall said. “We were eager to win. We had so much grit … even though we were ranked in the top five, we carried this chip on our shoulder.”
Her 10 points and 18 rebounds aided USC in defeating Stanford 74-61 in the Pac-12 Championship.
“It was like us breaking through barriers, putting SC basketball back on the map this past season,” Marshall said. “That was huge for us.”
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As a junior, the Women of Troy reached the Elite Eight. The program was unable to reach March Madness during her freshman year. While noticing the growth of the program, Marshall also noticed her personal growth.
“The culture is just remarkable, I feel like every year we’re improving,” she said. “From my freshman year to now, we have new strength coaches, our locker room has been renovated … after four years with an SC degree, I’ll be forever grateful.”
In 2023, Marshall helped Team USA win a silver medal in the FIBA AmeriCup. She was in a pool of over 20 players who battled to get one of 12 roster spots. Playing for Team USA taught her how to compete and be consistent.
“I’m playing against all the top names you could think of in college basketball,” Marshall said. “I felt like USA Basketball taught me how to set more physical screens. Playing against older, more veteran players from other countries, it helped my career a lot.”
Being a student athlete at USC can be rigorous, Marshall recognizes how being a student athlete can provide lucrative opportunities.
“They expose us to a lot of events and putting us in situations where we could speak to business owners,” she said. “They’re aware of what we’re doing on the court, they’re aware of our work ethic and that helps us a lot.”
Marshall noted how USC began recruiting her when she was in the ninth grade.
“I was always grateful for the experience because I didn’t really know what sports held for the future of women’s basketball,” Marshall said. “I didn’t know it could provide so much for my college career.”
During her time at Lynwood High School, ESPN ranked her 27th in the nation. In 2021, she led the Knights to winning the CIF Division 1AA Championship. Marshall also became McDonald’s All-American that season.
