LOS ANGELES, CALIF. - February 12th, 2024
| Written by USCTrojans.com |
The No. 10 USC women's basketball team flipped the script in the second half of action to overwhelm visiting Arizona and tack up an 81-64 win over the Wildcats tonight at Galen Center. USC had trailed by five points in the second quarter before making a power move in the third with a 16-2 run that put the Trojans in the driver's seat. USC improves to 18-4 overall and to 8-4 in Pac-12 play with the win, while Arizona goes to 12-12, 4-8.
The lead traded hands four times in the first half before USC found a groove and went 6-for-6 from 3-point range in the second quarter to work back on top, up 37-33 by halftime. USC went 46.2 percent from the floor overall in the first half, edging out Arizona's 45.2-percent effort. The Wildcats ruled the boards, though, outrebounding USC 17-11 in those first 20 minutes of play. After going 1-of-9 from 3-point range in the first quarter, the Trojans went 10-of-13 from beyond the arc in the next three quarters. USC also turned the tide on the boards, ending up on top 34-29. USC wrapped the game shooting 50 percent from the floor and 50 percent from 3-point range, outpacing Arizona's final effort of 39.1 percent from the floor and 3-of-10 from 3-point range.
USC received a game-high 32 points from freshman JuJu Watkins - her ninth 30-plus scoring outing of the season - along with 15 points and seven assists from Kayla Padilla and a double-double from Rayah Marshall on 12 points and 10 rebounds. Arizona was led with 13 points apiece from Esmery Martinez and Skylar Jones, with Jada Williams scoring 10 for the Wildcats.
USC built a six-point lead with four straight points from JuJu Watkins, but the Trojans would come up empty from the floor for almost six minutes while Arizona clawed back. Only free throws fell for USC in that stretch, and the Wildcats would edge into the lead with a 5-0 run to end the first quarter up 13-12. USC would land three 3-pointers from three different Trojans in the first five minutes of the second, but the Wildcats were still clicking as Arizona got up 27-23 with 4:50 on the clock. A pair of threes from Kayla Padilla helped USC knot it up at 29-29, and then McKenzie Forbes nailed her second three of the night to scoot USC back on top. Watkins would find Clarice Akunwafo in the paint next, and the Trojans were up 34-31 with 1:30 left in the half. Watkins wrapped the half with a three-point play, and USC gripped a 37-33 lead at the break.
Arizona struck first in the third, only to see USC heat up for a 9-0 run that featured a block and another 3-pointer from Kayla Padilla and a bucket and assist from Kaitlyn Davis to go with four more points from Watkins for a 46-35 USC lead at 6:35. Another Padilla three sparked a 7-0 USC surge, and Watkins would wrap the third by landing three free throws to tug the Trojans to a 60-44 lead entering the fourth. Rayah Marshall delivered back-to-back buckets to build a 70-49 USC advantage with 6:45 to go. Watkins and Forbes would each bury threes to keep the momentum going as USC closed out a final 81-64 victory at Galen Center.
NEXT:
USC now goes on the road for a pair of Pac-12 clashes, visiting Oregon at 7 p.m. on Friday (Feb. 16) in Eugene before heading to Corvallis to face Oregon State at 12 p.m. on Sunday (Feb. 18).
NOTABLE:
- With 22 assists tonight, USC has recorded 20 or more assists in eight games this season.
- The Trojans are now 8-0 with at least 20 assists this season.
- USC is now 13-0 this season when scoring 70 or more points.
- This marks the 14th game this season three or more Trojans have scored in double-digits.
- With 32 points tonight, FR JuJu Watkins recorded her ninth game of the season with 30 or more points - the most such outings by a Trojan since Cherie Nelson had nine as a junior in 1987-88. (Record is 10, held by Cheryl Miller in 1984-85)
- Watkins has led USC in scoring in 20 of the 21 games she's played this season.
- Now with 582 points scored this season, Watkins is tied with Lisa Leslie for third all-time in the most points scored by a USC freshman.
- USC is 9-0 when Watkins scores at least 30 points
- With 12 points and 10 rebounds, JR Rayah Marshall recorded her seventh double-double this season and the 27th of her career.
- Marshall has now recorded back-to-back double-doubles for the third time this season.
- With three 3-pointers made today, GS McKenzie Forbes has hit at least one three in the past 19 games.
- GS Kayla Padilla had a season-high seven assists.
- USC shot 50 percent from the floor, marking the sixth time this season the Trojans have shot 50 percent or better overall.
- USC's 50-percent (11-of-22) effort from 3-point range tonight marked the third game this season that USC has shot at least .500 from beyond the arc (.533 vs. Cal State Fullerton on 12/18 and .500 vs. Penn State on 11/22).
- USC's 11 threes made is the second most makes in a game this season.