Sunday, December 10
Los Angeles, Calif.
4:00 PM
USC
8-0,0-0Pac-12
85
vs
53
UC Riverside
4-4,0-0Big West
1
2
3
4
F
UC Riverside
7
9
20
17
53
Southern California
24
24
20
17
85
Team Stats
UCR
USC
FG%
.367
.559
3FG%
.412
.455
FT%
.833
.600
RB
24
37
TO
17
12
STL
7
10
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
27
FGM
10
3FGM
4
FTM
3
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Pts
11
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
C
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG/F
/ Women's BasketballC/F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballPhoto by: Percy Anderson
No. 6 USC Women’s Basketball Stays Perfect With Solid 85-53 Win Over UC Riverside
December 10, 2023 | Women's Basketball
Ten Trojans score in the win, helping to improve USC to 8-0 overall.
LOS ANGELES — The No. 6 USC women's basketball team never trailed en route to scoring its eighth straight win today, beating visiting UC Riverside 85-53 behind a double-double from Rayah Marshall and 27 points from JuJu Watkins. USC had a season-high 10 Trojans score in the victory at Galen Center, which improved USC's overall record to 8-0 on the year. UC Riverside is now 4-4 overall.
USC was hitting a hot-handed 62.5 percent in the first half of action while going 7-of-12 from 3-point range to craft a 48-16 halftime lead. USC had eight different Trojans on the scoresheet by the break, with JuJu Watkins leading the way with 12 first-half points to lead all players to that point. USC also was controlling the boards to the tune of a 21-12 advantage. The scoring evened out in the second half as the Trojans pressed on to close out the 85-53 win — USC's third straight 80-point outing — and finished at 55.9 percent from the floor overall. UC Riverside wrapped at 36.7 percent, and USC won out on the boards 37-24.
JuJu Watkins led all with 27 points on the day, going 4-of-6 from 3-point range and recording five steals and five assists. Rayah Marshall notched her fifth double-double of the season with her 11 points and 12 rebounds, with McKenzie Forbes also hitting double digits for the Trojans on an 11-point outing while also serving up five assists. The Highlanders were led by Jordan Webster's 20 points along with 14 from Matehya Bryant.
With back-to-back 3-pointers in their sails, the Trojans soared to a 10-0 lead in the first four minutes of action. A 9-0 USC rally later featured a pair of blocks from Clarice Akunwafo on the defensive end while McKenzie Forbes struck with a bucket and then drained a three to build out a 21-5 USC advantage. Taylor Bigby had the last word of the first with USC's fourth 3-pointer of the opening frame to net a 24-7 lead after 10 minutes of action. Kayla Padilla kept the trend going with an opening three in the second, and JuJu Watkins landed one of her own a couple minutes later to spark another 10-0 Trojan surge. In the second, USC manufactured a 7-0 push with Akunwafo delivering another block and Watkins sinking another 3-pointer to get USC ahead 46-14. Akunwafo slipped in a score just before the halftime buzzer, and USC gripped a 48-16 lead at the break.
The Trojans an Highlanders stayed in stride in the third frame going into the fourth with USC gripping a 68-36 lead. Watkins kicked off the fourth with her fourth 3-pointer of the day, and Rayah Marshall would work her way into a double-double as USC kept pushing the pace. McKenzie Forbes got to double digits and then Watkins hit Padilla for a bucket before landing a pair of free throws to take the Trojans ahead 79-45 with 3:25 to go. Both teams stayed the course down the stretch, with India Otto having the final work on a 3-pointer to cap off the USC win at 85-53.
NEXT:
USC continues its stateside stretch with two games coming up after finals week finishes up. The Trojans will host Cal State Fullerton at 7 p.m. on Monday (Dec. 18) at Galen Center before heading down to take on Long Beach State a 2 p.m. on Thursday (Dec. 21) at Walter Pyramid.
NOTABLE:
- USC tied its season record for most points in the first half with 48.
- USC shot 55.9 percent from the floor — its second highest scoring effort of the season.
- UC Riverside's 16 points in the first half marked the fewest by a USC opponent in a half this season.
- The Trojans have scored 80 or more points in three consecutive games for the first time since the 2018-19 season.
- The Trojans' 32-point halftime lead was the largest this season.
- FR JuJu Watkins tied career highs in 3-point percentage (.750), blocks (2) and assists (5).
- USC recorded a season-high shooting percentage in the first half at .625.
- USC's seven first-half 3-pointers was the most threes made in a half this season..
-The Trojans outrebounded their opponent by double digits (37-24) for the fourth time this season
- With 11 points today, JR Rayah Marshall has scored in double figures in USC's last nine games (going back to USC's NCAA First Round game last season).
- With 11 points and 12 rebounds today, Marshall recorded her fifth double-double of the season and the 25th of her USC career.
- JR Clarice Akunwafo tied her career high of three blocks.
- FR Malia Samuels had a career-high three steals.
- RS SO Dominique Onu recorded a season-high four assists.
- GS McKenzie Forbes tied her season-high shooting percentage at .625 (5-of-8).
- With 10 Trojans scoring today, USC matched a season high.
- USC extended its nonconference home winning streak to 15 straight games.
USC was hitting a hot-handed 62.5 percent in the first half of action while going 7-of-12 from 3-point range to craft a 48-16 halftime lead. USC had eight different Trojans on the scoresheet by the break, with JuJu Watkins leading the way with 12 first-half points to lead all players to that point. USC also was controlling the boards to the tune of a 21-12 advantage. The scoring evened out in the second half as the Trojans pressed on to close out the 85-53 win — USC's third straight 80-point outing — and finished at 55.9 percent from the floor overall. UC Riverside wrapped at 36.7 percent, and USC won out on the boards 37-24.
JuJu Watkins led all with 27 points on the day, going 4-of-6 from 3-point range and recording five steals and five assists. Rayah Marshall notched her fifth double-double of the season with her 11 points and 12 rebounds, with McKenzie Forbes also hitting double digits for the Trojans on an 11-point outing while also serving up five assists. The Highlanders were led by Jordan Webster's 20 points along with 14 from Matehya Bryant.
With back-to-back 3-pointers in their sails, the Trojans soared to a 10-0 lead in the first four minutes of action. A 9-0 USC rally later featured a pair of blocks from Clarice Akunwafo on the defensive end while McKenzie Forbes struck with a bucket and then drained a three to build out a 21-5 USC advantage. Taylor Bigby had the last word of the first with USC's fourth 3-pointer of the opening frame to net a 24-7 lead after 10 minutes of action. Kayla Padilla kept the trend going with an opening three in the second, and JuJu Watkins landed one of her own a couple minutes later to spark another 10-0 Trojan surge. In the second, USC manufactured a 7-0 push with Akunwafo delivering another block and Watkins sinking another 3-pointer to get USC ahead 46-14. Akunwafo slipped in a score just before the halftime buzzer, and USC gripped a 48-16 lead at the break.
The Trojans an Highlanders stayed in stride in the third frame going into the fourth with USC gripping a 68-36 lead. Watkins kicked off the fourth with her fourth 3-pointer of the day, and Rayah Marshall would work her way into a double-double as USC kept pushing the pace. McKenzie Forbes got to double digits and then Watkins hit Padilla for a bucket before landing a pair of free throws to take the Trojans ahead 79-45 with 3:25 to go. Both teams stayed the course down the stretch, with India Otto having the final work on a 3-pointer to cap off the USC win at 85-53.
NEXT:
USC continues its stateside stretch with two games coming up after finals week finishes up. The Trojans will host Cal State Fullerton at 7 p.m. on Monday (Dec. 18) at Galen Center before heading down to take on Long Beach State a 2 p.m. on Thursday (Dec. 21) at Walter Pyramid.
NOTABLE:
- USC tied its season record for most points in the first half with 48.
- USC shot 55.9 percent from the floor — its second highest scoring effort of the season.
- UC Riverside's 16 points in the first half marked the fewest by a USC opponent in a half this season.
- The Trojans have scored 80 or more points in three consecutive games for the first time since the 2018-19 season.
- The Trojans' 32-point halftime lead was the largest this season.
- FR JuJu Watkins tied career highs in 3-point percentage (.750), blocks (2) and assists (5).
- USC recorded a season-high shooting percentage in the first half at .625.
- USC's seven first-half 3-pointers was the most threes made in a half this season..
-The Trojans outrebounded their opponent by double digits (37-24) for the fourth time this season
- With 11 points today, JR Rayah Marshall has scored in double figures in USC's last nine games (going back to USC's NCAA First Round game last season).
- With 11 points and 12 rebounds today, Marshall recorded her fifth double-double of the season and the 25th of her USC career.
- JR Clarice Akunwafo tied her career high of three blocks.
- FR Malia Samuels had a career-high three steals.
- RS SO Dominique Onu recorded a season-high four assists.
- GS McKenzie Forbes tied her season-high shooting percentage at .625 (5-of-8).
- With 10 Trojans scoring today, USC matched a season high.
- USC extended its nonconference home winning streak to 15 straight games.
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