LOS ANGELES - USC vs Oregon
The No. 9/6 USC women's basketball team turned a one-point game in the fourth quarter into a 68-54 final victory over visiting Oregon behind high different Trojan scorers today at Galen Center. USC improves to 12-1 overall and 2-1 in Pac-12 play with this week's home sweep of the Oregon schools. The Ducks are now 9-7, 0-3.
USC overcame a sluggish opening few minutes and built out a 30-23 halftime advantage with seven Trojans on the scoresheet on 48-percent shooting to outpace Oregon's 37.5-percent effort in the first 20 minutes. The Ducks had a 15-14 edge on the boards by the break by had committed eight first-half turnovers, which USC turned into 13 points for the Trojan cause. USC would up its offensive game in the second half to finish out at 49.1 percent from the floor, while Oregon wrapped at 40.7 percent. The Ducks won the battle of the boards 35-28 but committed 14 turnovers to just six by the Trojans, who also delivered a season-high 10 blocks on the defensive end and dished out a season-high 25 assists.
For the 12th time this season, freshman JuJu Watkins led USC in scoring, punching in 17 points to go with a career-high six assists and nine rebounds on the day. Rayah Marshall also had nine boards and matched McKenzie Forbes with 16 points for the Trojan cause. Oregon received a game-high 18 points from Grace VanSlooten, along with 11 points each from Chance Gray and Sofia Bell, while Phillipina Kyei had a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Ducks.
USC was slow to start on the offensive end but found its touch later in the first frame, netting a jumper from Rayah Marshall and the capping the quarter with a go-ahead 3-pointer from Taylor Bigby to nudge the Trojans on top 14-13 after 10 minutes of action. That Bigby bucket sparked an 11-0 run by the Trojans. Four different Trojans scored to open the second quarter as USC mounted a 22-15 lead with 5:30 on the clock. Oregon landed a couple 3-pointers down the stretch to bite into the USC advantage, only to see Watkins strike from distance and then serve up an assist to McKenzie Forbes to lift USC ahead 30-23 at halftime.
Marshall wrapped a couple scores around a single Oregon free throw to get USC out to a double-digit lead at 34-24, but the Ducks dug back in with a 7-0 surge to get within three at 6:45. Forbes and Bigby would drain a couple key threes to get USC a boost, and the Trojans went up 44-36 with 3:30 to go in the third. More work from Marshall and a three from Dominique Darius lifted USC ahead 50-42, only to have Oregon strike just before the buzzer to make it a 50-44 margin entering the fourth. The Ducks trimmed the deficit to one point in scoring five points in the opening minute of the fourth, prompting Watkins to deliver a smooth 3-pointer to get USC a boost to 53-49. Another Watkins bucket was followed by a 3-point splash from Forbes to get USC some breathing room at 58-50 by the 5-minute mark. Later, back-to-back strikes from Marshall had USC on top 62-52 with three minutes to go, and USC stayed the course. Forbes converted in the final minute before Malia Samuels nabbed a steal and found fellow freshman Watkins for a three-point play that topped off the Trojans' 68-54 win.
NEXT:
USC's next action brings the Bruins to Galen Center for a Pac-12 rematch hosted by the Trojans at 2 p.m. on Sunday (Jan. 14).
NOTABLE:
- USC has now won 16 straight home games.
- With 17 points, FR JuJu Watkins has led USC in scoring in every game she's played this season (12 games).
- Watkins also tied her career high of six assists.
- With four blocks today, JR Rayah Marshall has recorded at least one block in 60 of the past 61 games
- RS SO Taylor Bigby tied her career high of four assists.
- FR Malia Samuels tied her career high of five assists
- GS Kayla Padilla tied her season high of 2 blocks
- USC tied season highs of 25 assists and 10 blocks