IN PICS: USC’s Kiki Iriafen recaps dreamy Paris visit for season opener game

After three years with the Stanford Cardinal, Kiki Iriafen transferred to play for the USC Trojans for her senior season. The forward made her official debut with the Trojans last week in the season opener against Ole Miss. The game was part of the 2024 Aflac Oui-Play in Paris, France, with the Trojans beating the Rebels 68-66.

On Monday, Iriafen shared the photos from her trip to the City of Love. She opted for a black mini-skirt, cropped cardigan and leather jacket.

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"La Vie Est Belle💛," Kiki Iriafen wrote in the caption.

At Stanford, Kiki Iriafen had her breakout year as a junior when she averaged 19.4 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists. On a mostly young USC roster, Iriafen and Oregon State transfer Talia von Oelhoffen are considered the experienced players.

The two are expected to play a crucial role in assisting JuJu Watkins on a potential run to the NCAA championship. In the win over the Rebels, Iriafen had 22 points while Watkins led with 27. The forward commented on her partnership with the sophomore in a postgame presser.

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“It’s great. She’s very selfless. I love playing with her," Iriafen said. "I love a pick and roll with her because you kind of have to pick your poison.

"But she was great. She was great out there for me. You know, always uplifting me, and I’m trying to do the same for her. But she’s a great teammate, and I can’t wait to see the rest of the things that we’ll do this season."

USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb comments on Kiki Iriafen's importance for the Trojans

JuJu Watkins took the lead in taking the USC Trojans on a historic run to the Elite Eight last season. However, it was evident that the team was heavily reliant on her, and it was unsustainable in the long run.

With the arrival of Kiki Iriafen, the load on Watkins has reduced a bit as the two form a winning chemistry on the court. Trojans coach Lindsay Gottlieb commented on this during an interview at the Big Ten Media Day.

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“I’ve been actually incredibly impressed with how fast their chemistry has developed," Gottlieb said. “I think JuJu and Kiki fit great together ... a pick-and-roll threat, an inside-out threat.

"Kiki is also really versatile, where she’s stretching her game and playing on the perimeter, and she’s a good passer. That creates more space where maybe I can post JuJu up a little bit more, get her more in space.”

After the home opener against Cal Poly on Saturday, the Trojans will host Cal State Northridge on Tuesday and Santa Clara on Friday.

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