Ryan Kartje (LA Times) —  Rayah Marshall took her place at the front of USC’s defense Saturday, ready to deploy the role she’d spent the past two years perfecting.

USC had dragged through the first quarter of their first-round matchup, unable to separate from No. 16 North Carolina Greensboro. So a few minutes into the second, with her team in need of a spark, coach Lindsay Gottlieb turned to Marshall, the “Mad Dog” at the front of the Trojans’ vaunted pressure defense.

The press has become an essential part of USC’s defense the past two seasons, with Marshall at the forefront — literally — of that success. But perhaps never has it proved so successful for the Trojans as it was Saturday, in their tournament debut.

The senior forward stood with arms outstretched, clogging whatever passing lanes might be available. As soon as the ball was inbounded, guards swarmed on either side. In a matter of seconds, a trap was already laid. From there, pockets were picked. Errant passes were picked off.

The result was utter domination on defense, as USC rolled into the second round of the NCAA tournament where it will face Mississippi State on Monday night.

With the press in place — and USC content to push down the gas pedal with its pressure — the Trojans allowed just four total baskets after the first quarter. It gave up just 25 points, the lowest score ever by a USC opponent, and allowed Greensboro to shoot just 13%, also the lowest ever for a USC opponent. Not to mention it forced 23 turnovers, the 15th time USC has forced more than 20 turnovers this season.

USC center Rayah Marshall, left, and guard Kennedy Smith celebrate during the first half against UNC Greensboro on Saturday. (Eric Thayer / AP)

“We know that the press is a weapon for us,” Gottlieb said. “Certainly when our offense is sputtering in any way, it’s a good defensive weapon for us, but also kick-starts our offense. We know that’s something that’s in our arsenal.”

Sam Purcell, Mississippi State’s coach, couldn’t help but admire it as he scouted USC from the stands on Saturday.

“I was almost a fan yesterday instead of a scout watching them,” Purcell said.

To Purcell, USC’s effort on defense feels especially familiar. He worked on Louisville’s staff with USC’s associate head coach Beth Burns, who has served as the architect of the Trojans’ defense since Gottlieb hired her two seasons ago.

It was Burns who introduced the Mad Dog press at USC and anointed Marshall, whose length — at 6-feet-4 — allows the Trojans to induce mismatches when opposing offenses are forced to speed up.

“She’s really evolved to where she could teach a clinic in it,” Gottlieb said of Marshall. “She could be in the video for the mad dog, how you play the mad dog.”

The rest of the Trojans’ smothering press has fallen into place over the course of this season, as they’ve grown to better understand each other’s tendencies. It doesn’t hurt either that this USC roster is one of the longest in the tournament field.

“I would say the deeper we go into the season, the more we are comfortable with trapping with each other,” Marshall said. “The more I know which teammate I can strongly trap, which teammate we can force a 10-second backcourt. With time, learning my teammates and also looking in on the scout, I know which players I can be more aggressive with.”

That effort starts up front with Marshall, who contributed two steals and seven blocks in the Trojans’ opening-round win. Against Mississippi State, she’s sure to be at the forefront once again — an intimidating sight, surely, for any offense this March.

“[She] kind of starts it all for us, being loud, being big,” guard Avery Howell said. “That scare factor at the front, it’s just really energizing for our team.”