Friday, January 27
Salt Lake City, Utah
6:00 PM
USC
15-5,5-4Pac-12
73
at
83
Utah
17-2,6-2Pac-12
1
2
3
4
F
Southern California
14
19
23
17
73
Utah
23
26
20
14
83
Team Stats
USC
Utah
FG%
.474
.534
3FG%
.381
.348
FT%
.550
.813
RB
31
32
TO
11
10
STL
6
2
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
15
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
4
FTM
0
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Players Mentioned
G/F
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG/F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballPhoto by: Chris Mora
No. 9 Utah Fends Off USC Women’s Basketball 83-73 In Hot-Shooting Pac-12 Battle In Salt Lake City
January 27, 2023 | Women's Basketball
Trojans make a late push but can’t reel the Utes back in for a Pac-12 road loss.
SALT LAKE CITY — The USC women's basketball team put forth a strong second-half effort but had been hamstrung by Utah's fierce first-half offensive effort, as the Trojans took an 83-73 loss to the No. 9 Utes tonight in Salt Lake City. USC got within six late in the game before Utah found one last key 3-pointer to keep the Trojans at bay. USC goes to 15-5 overall and to 5-4 in Pac-12 play with the road loss, while No. 9 Utah improves to 17-2, 7-2.
In stride for the early goings, the teams took different paths as the first half unfurled. The Utes were hot, shooting 63.6 percent from the floor in those first 20 minutes to lead it 49-33 at halftime as USC shot 40 percent. The teams were even on the boards 16-16, but Utah had landed five 3-pointers to three by the Trojans and had amassed 32 points in the paint by the break. USC would trail by as much as 20 in the third quarter before carving down the deficit to six in the fourth, outscoring the Utes 40-34 in the second half although it wasn't enough to make up the ground lost early on.
USC finished the game with its fourth-best shooting effort on the season at 47.4 percent overall and made eight 3-pointers to match Utah's output of threes. Utah, however, wrapped up a 53.4 percent shooting and benefited from 42 points in the paint, also edging out USC on the boards 32-31.
The Trojans had Rayah Marshall finish with a double-double for the 10th time this season, as the sophomore had 15 points and 11 rebounds to go with two more blocks. Kadi Sissoko also added 15 for USC, with Okako Adika tallying 12 points on four 3-pointers made, while Destiny Littleton and Clarice Akunwafo scored 11 points each. Utah was paced by Alissa Pili's 21 points along with 17 from Kennady McQueen and 16 from Gianna Kneepens. McQueen made five of the Utes' eight 3-pointers on the night.
It was a back-and-forth battle out of the gates as the lead traded hands and the score snarled up a couple teams in the first five minutes. Okako Adika buried USC's first three to lock it up at 12-12, although Utah would knock down its third 3-pointer of the quarter to nudge ahead 17-12 less than a minute later. Clarice Akunwafo struck from the paint for the Trojans next, only to see the Utes end the quarter on a 6-0 run to lead it 23-14 after 10 minutes of action. Utah would flex some power in the paint to go along with a couple more back-breaking 3-pointers to keep the Utes in control through to halftime, where the hosts gripped a 49-33 lead at the break.
The third was a battle, with USC picking up its scoring pace to make up ground on the Utes. The Trojans carved the deficit down to 10 thanks to some buckets from Rayah Marshall, who worked her way into her 10th double-double of the season. Utah pushed back and got ahead 69-49 with 3:25 on the clock before the Trojans manufactured a 7-0 rally to wrap the quarter and make it a 69-56 margin entering the fourth. Utah made nothing but free throws through the first five minutes of the fourth as the foul count tipped against the Trojans, although USC was hitting from the floor. Adika netted a three with 5:05 on the clock to make it 74-65 just before getting tagged for her fifth foul. At 3:10, Destiny Littleton nailed her third 3-pointer of the night, making it a six-point margin at 79-73. Utah would answer back later, however, hitting a three to pad its lead to 83-73 in the final minute. That would hold, and the Trojans ran out on time to make another push against the Utes.
NEXT:
USC now heads to Boulder to take on No. 25 Colorado at 12 p.m. MT on Sunday (Jan. 29).
NOTABLE:
- With two blocks, SO Rayah Marshall has recorded at least one block in 41 consecutive games played.
- With 15 points and 11 rebounds, Marshall recorded her 16th career double-double and 10th this season.
- SO Clarice Akunwafo scored a career-high 11 points.
- GS Okako Adika made a season-high four 3-pointers, finishing in double digits for the sixth time this season with 12 points.
- With 11 points, GS Kadi Sissoko scored in double digits for the 13th time this season.
- With 15 points, GS Destiny Littleton scored in double digits for a team-leading 15th time this season.
- USC's 47.4 percent shooting was the best it has shot in a loss this season (and fourth best overall output in a game this season).
- It's USC's first loss this season when making eight or more 3-pointers.
- Utah's 83 points was the most scored against the Trojans in a game this season.
- Utah's 53-percent shooting also was the highest by a USC opponent this season.
- Utah's eight 3-pointers made tied the most scored against the Trojans this season.
- This was just the second time this season that USC has had five Trojans score in double figures (last: season-opening win vs. CSU Bakersfield).
In stride for the early goings, the teams took different paths as the first half unfurled. The Utes were hot, shooting 63.6 percent from the floor in those first 20 minutes to lead it 49-33 at halftime as USC shot 40 percent. The teams were even on the boards 16-16, but Utah had landed five 3-pointers to three by the Trojans and had amassed 32 points in the paint by the break. USC would trail by as much as 20 in the third quarter before carving down the deficit to six in the fourth, outscoring the Utes 40-34 in the second half although it wasn't enough to make up the ground lost early on.
USC finished the game with its fourth-best shooting effort on the season at 47.4 percent overall and made eight 3-pointers to match Utah's output of threes. Utah, however, wrapped up a 53.4 percent shooting and benefited from 42 points in the paint, also edging out USC on the boards 32-31.
The Trojans had Rayah Marshall finish with a double-double for the 10th time this season, as the sophomore had 15 points and 11 rebounds to go with two more blocks. Kadi Sissoko also added 15 for USC, with Okako Adika tallying 12 points on four 3-pointers made, while Destiny Littleton and Clarice Akunwafo scored 11 points each. Utah was paced by Alissa Pili's 21 points along with 17 from Kennady McQueen and 16 from Gianna Kneepens. McQueen made five of the Utes' eight 3-pointers on the night.
It was a back-and-forth battle out of the gates as the lead traded hands and the score snarled up a couple teams in the first five minutes. Okako Adika buried USC's first three to lock it up at 12-12, although Utah would knock down its third 3-pointer of the quarter to nudge ahead 17-12 less than a minute later. Clarice Akunwafo struck from the paint for the Trojans next, only to see the Utes end the quarter on a 6-0 run to lead it 23-14 after 10 minutes of action. Utah would flex some power in the paint to go along with a couple more back-breaking 3-pointers to keep the Utes in control through to halftime, where the hosts gripped a 49-33 lead at the break.
The third was a battle, with USC picking up its scoring pace to make up ground on the Utes. The Trojans carved the deficit down to 10 thanks to some buckets from Rayah Marshall, who worked her way into her 10th double-double of the season. Utah pushed back and got ahead 69-49 with 3:25 on the clock before the Trojans manufactured a 7-0 rally to wrap the quarter and make it a 69-56 margin entering the fourth. Utah made nothing but free throws through the first five minutes of the fourth as the foul count tipped against the Trojans, although USC was hitting from the floor. Adika netted a three with 5:05 on the clock to make it 74-65 just before getting tagged for her fifth foul. At 3:10, Destiny Littleton nailed her third 3-pointer of the night, making it a six-point margin at 79-73. Utah would answer back later, however, hitting a three to pad its lead to 83-73 in the final minute. That would hold, and the Trojans ran out on time to make another push against the Utes.
NEXT:
USC now heads to Boulder to take on No. 25 Colorado at 12 p.m. MT on Sunday (Jan. 29).
NOTABLE:
- With two blocks, SO Rayah Marshall has recorded at least one block in 41 consecutive games played.
- With 15 points and 11 rebounds, Marshall recorded her 16th career double-double and 10th this season.
- SO Clarice Akunwafo scored a career-high 11 points.
- GS Okako Adika made a season-high four 3-pointers, finishing in double digits for the sixth time this season with 12 points.
- With 11 points, GS Kadi Sissoko scored in double digits for the 13th time this season.
- With 15 points, GS Destiny Littleton scored in double digits for a team-leading 15th time this season.
- USC's 47.4 percent shooting was the best it has shot in a loss this season (and fourth best overall output in a game this season).
- It's USC's first loss this season when making eight or more 3-pointers.
- Utah's 83 points was the most scored against the Trojans in a game this season.
- Utah's 53-percent shooting also was the highest by a USC opponent this season.
- Utah's eight 3-pointers made tied the most scored against the Trojans this season.
- This was just the second time this season that USC has had five Trojans score in double figures (last: season-opening win vs. CSU Bakersfield).
USC WBB's Lindsay Gottlieb, Rayah Marshall and Talia von Oelhoffen | Trojan Press Conference
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USC WBB heads to the Elite 8, defeats Kansas State in Sweet 16 | Rapid Reaction
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Kennedy Smith on USC WBB heading to the Elite Eight, Trojan freshmen getting the job done
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USC WBB Defeats Kansas State in Sweet 16, Advances to Elite Eight | Trojan Press Conference
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