Sunday, January 21
Boulder, Colo.
12:00 PM
USC
13-3,3-3Pac-12
59
at
63
Colorado
16-2,6-1Pac-12
1
2
3
4
F
Southern California
18
12
17
12
59
Colorado
14
18
17
14
63
Team Stats
USC
CU
FG%
.385
.442
3FG%
.350
.250
FT%
.800
.813
RB
27
37
TO
12
15
STL
10
7
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
20
FGM
8
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
14
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
5
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
5
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
C
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballG/F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballPhoto by: Chris Mora
No. 6/4 USC Women’s Basketball Comes Up Short At No. 3 Colorado, 63-59
January 21, 2024 | Women's Basketball
The Trojans and Buffs fought through nine ties before the hosts caught late breaks to win it in Boulder.
BOULDER, COLO. — The No. 6/4 USC women's basketball team took No. 3 Colorado down the wire and came up just short of forcing overtime in a wild battle in Boulder that saw the Buffs benefit from 10 second-half fouls against the Trojans before Colorado emerged with a 63-59 win. USC goes to 13-3 overall and to 3-3 in Pac-12 play after two road losses this week against ranked opponents. Colorado improves to 16-2, 6-1.
Colorado shot at a 50-percent clip in the first half and got help from a six-minute dry spell from the floor by the Trojans in the second quarter as the Buffs overcame a seven-point USC lead during the first half to edge ahead 32-30 at halftime. USC shot 33.3 percent from the floor in the first half and was down 20-15 on the boards, but had forced eight turnovers out of the Buffs in those first 20 minutes. As the foul count tipped against the Trojans, USC's top scorer JuJu Watkins would be dealt her fifth foul with almost six minutes left to play and USC trailing by three. The Trojans would fight back to tie it up twice down the stretch and got it to a one-point game with 15 ticks to got, but the Buffs managed to eke out the win on 44.2 percent shooting to outpace USC's 38.5 percent effort. Colorado won out on the boards 37-27 and went 13-of-16 from the free-throw line. USC hit seven threes in the game and went 12-of-15 from the stripe.
Despite fouling out, Watkins led all scorers with 20 points on the day and nabbed a game-high four steals. USC also received 14 points from Taylor Bigby and 11 from McKenzie Forbes, who hit three 3-pointers apiece for the Trojans. Colorado was paced by Quay Miller's double-double on 19 points and 12 rebounds, with Jaylyn Sherron scoring 17 for the Buffs.
JuJu Watkins sparked a 7-0 USC surge to lead things 9-4 as she wrapped buckets around a 3-pointer from Taylor Bigby. A three by McKenzie Forbes at 2:20 netted a 14-8 advantage for the Trojans before Colorado carved in to trail by two. Watkins responded with two takes to the hoop to lift USC ahead 18-12, and then the Buffs got to the line to two to wrap the quarter as an 18-14 USC lead. Some tough play from Bigby helped keep USC in gear in the second, as the nailed another key three and held strong from the free-throw line for four tosses as USC was up 27-23 at the midway point of the frame. The Buffs would score six straight points next, however, to take a 29-27 lead at 3:05. Watkins free throws snarled things up 29-29 at 2:05, but just a singe free throw would fall for the Trojans in the next stretch as Colorado gripped a slim 32-30 lead at halftime.
Forbes kicked down the starting gates of the second half by burying 3-pointers around a successful visit to the stripe by Watkins, staking the Trojans to a 38-32 lead two minutes into the half. The Buffs bit back with a pair of threes later, and the game was knotted up 40-40 at the 5-minute mark of the third. The battle raged on, with USC netting scores from Watkins and Kayla Padilla to go up 44-40, then the Buffs edged ahead 47-46 on a three and a bucket. The score snarled up again at 47-47 before Colorado struck with 30 second left in the third to hold a 49-47 advantage entering the fourth. USC locked it up early on a fine finish from Clarice Akunwafo in the paint off a Watkins feed, only to have the Buffs benefit from USC fouls in the next few minutes. Colorado edged ahead 52-49 on tosses form the stripe before Watkins was dealt her fifth foul with 5:50 to go. Bigby stepped up and nailed a 3-point equalizer for USC at 5:10, making things all even again at 52-52. The Buffs struck twice on runners to go up again, but USC got to the line as well and then got a tough finish from Kaitlyn Davis to level it 56-56 with 1:34 on the clock. Colorado managed a score down low to sneak ahead 58-56 with 51 ticks to go, and after a USC 3-point try rimmed out the Trojans sent CU to the line. Both tosses were good, and USC called timeout with 25 seconds on the clock and down 60-56. Padilla blasted a 3-pointer for the Trojan cause to make it a one-point margin at 15 seconds and after a single CU free throw fell USC had a look to tie it, but the ball rolled unfavorably for the Trojans and the Buffs closed it out with two more free throws to claim an exciting 63-59 win in Boulder.
NEXT:
USC gets back to Galen Center next week to host the Washington schools, facing Washington State at 7 p.m. on Friday (Jan. 26) and then taking on Washington at 12 p.m. on Sunday (Jan. 28).
NOTABLE:
- USC is now 2-3 against ranked opponents this season.
- With 20 points, FR JuJu Watkins has led USC in scoring in every game she's played this season (15 games).
- USC was held to a season-low 27 rebounds
- Colorado had a crowd of 8,474 in attendance — the third largest crowd USC has played in front of this season.
Colorado shot at a 50-percent clip in the first half and got help from a six-minute dry spell from the floor by the Trojans in the second quarter as the Buffs overcame a seven-point USC lead during the first half to edge ahead 32-30 at halftime. USC shot 33.3 percent from the floor in the first half and was down 20-15 on the boards, but had forced eight turnovers out of the Buffs in those first 20 minutes. As the foul count tipped against the Trojans, USC's top scorer JuJu Watkins would be dealt her fifth foul with almost six minutes left to play and USC trailing by three. The Trojans would fight back to tie it up twice down the stretch and got it to a one-point game with 15 ticks to got, but the Buffs managed to eke out the win on 44.2 percent shooting to outpace USC's 38.5 percent effort. Colorado won out on the boards 37-27 and went 13-of-16 from the free-throw line. USC hit seven threes in the game and went 12-of-15 from the stripe.
Despite fouling out, Watkins led all scorers with 20 points on the day and nabbed a game-high four steals. USC also received 14 points from Taylor Bigby and 11 from McKenzie Forbes, who hit three 3-pointers apiece for the Trojans. Colorado was paced by Quay Miller's double-double on 19 points and 12 rebounds, with Jaylyn Sherron scoring 17 for the Buffs.
JuJu Watkins sparked a 7-0 USC surge to lead things 9-4 as she wrapped buckets around a 3-pointer from Taylor Bigby. A three by McKenzie Forbes at 2:20 netted a 14-8 advantage for the Trojans before Colorado carved in to trail by two. Watkins responded with two takes to the hoop to lift USC ahead 18-12, and then the Buffs got to the line to two to wrap the quarter as an 18-14 USC lead. Some tough play from Bigby helped keep USC in gear in the second, as the nailed another key three and held strong from the free-throw line for four tosses as USC was up 27-23 at the midway point of the frame. The Buffs would score six straight points next, however, to take a 29-27 lead at 3:05. Watkins free throws snarled things up 29-29 at 2:05, but just a singe free throw would fall for the Trojans in the next stretch as Colorado gripped a slim 32-30 lead at halftime.
Forbes kicked down the starting gates of the second half by burying 3-pointers around a successful visit to the stripe by Watkins, staking the Trojans to a 38-32 lead two minutes into the half. The Buffs bit back with a pair of threes later, and the game was knotted up 40-40 at the 5-minute mark of the third. The battle raged on, with USC netting scores from Watkins and Kayla Padilla to go up 44-40, then the Buffs edged ahead 47-46 on a three and a bucket. The score snarled up again at 47-47 before Colorado struck with 30 second left in the third to hold a 49-47 advantage entering the fourth. USC locked it up early on a fine finish from Clarice Akunwafo in the paint off a Watkins feed, only to have the Buffs benefit from USC fouls in the next few minutes. Colorado edged ahead 52-49 on tosses form the stripe before Watkins was dealt her fifth foul with 5:50 to go. Bigby stepped up and nailed a 3-point equalizer for USC at 5:10, making things all even again at 52-52. The Buffs struck twice on runners to go up again, but USC got to the line as well and then got a tough finish from Kaitlyn Davis to level it 56-56 with 1:34 on the clock. Colorado managed a score down low to sneak ahead 58-56 with 51 ticks to go, and after a USC 3-point try rimmed out the Trojans sent CU to the line. Both tosses were good, and USC called timeout with 25 seconds on the clock and down 60-56. Padilla blasted a 3-pointer for the Trojan cause to make it a one-point margin at 15 seconds and after a single CU free throw fell USC had a look to tie it, but the ball rolled unfavorably for the Trojans and the Buffs closed it out with two more free throws to claim an exciting 63-59 win in Boulder.
NEXT:
USC gets back to Galen Center next week to host the Washington schools, facing Washington State at 7 p.m. on Friday (Jan. 26) and then taking on Washington at 12 p.m. on Sunday (Jan. 28).
NOTABLE:
- USC is now 2-3 against ranked opponents this season.
- With 20 points, FR JuJu Watkins has led USC in scoring in every game she's played this season (15 games).
- USC was held to a season-low 27 rebounds
- Colorado had a crowd of 8,474 in attendance — the third largest crowd USC has played in front of this season.
Women's Basketball Head Coach Lindsay Gottlieb Media Availability 9/18/25
Thursday, September 18
USC WBB's Lindsay Gottlieb, Rayah Marshall and Talia von Oelhoffen | Trojan Press Conference
Monday, March 31
USC WBB heads to the Elite 8, defeats Kansas State in Sweet 16 | Rapid Reaction
Saturday, March 29
Kennedy Smith on USC WBB heading to the Elite Eight, Trojan freshmen getting the job done
Saturday, March 29
