Sunday, February 16
Seattle, Wash.
4:00 p.m.
USC
23-2,13-1Big Ten
69
at
64
Washington
14-12,5-9Big Ten
1
2
3
4
F
Southern California
14
9
16
30
69
Washington
15
8
20
21
64
Team Stats
USC
UW
FG%
.391
.393
3FG%
.348
.444
FT%
.786
.800
RB
33
37
TO
9
15
STL
6
3
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
19
FGM
8
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
17
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
4
Pts
14
FGM
5
3FGM
4
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
C
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
C/F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
Photo by: Chris Mora
No. 6 USC Women’s Basketball Heats Up Late To Beat Host Washington 69-64
February 16, 2025 | Women's Basketball
Trojans outscored the Huskies 30-21 in the fourth to get to a key road win.
SEATTLE — The No. 6 USC women's basketball team overcame a sluggish start and a 12-point deficit to fight back for a 69-64 road win over host Washington today in Seattle. USC outscored the Huskies 30-21 in the fourth to haul in a key Big Ten win that improved the Trojans to 23-2 overall and 13-1 in conference play. Washington is now 14-12, 5-9.
Washington manufactured a 12-0 run that spanned the first and second quarters to put USC on its heels in a seven-point hole. In spite of a slow-scoring second quarter, the Trojans worked their way back into the picture and had things level at 23-23 for halftime. USC had shot 28 percent from the floor to that point, with Washington at 29 percent. The Huskies also held the advantage on the rebounding front 20-18 by the break. Washington splashed four 3-pointers in the third quarter in a push out to a 12-point advantage before USC found a touch from beyond the arc. Six second-half 3-pointers fell for the Trojans as they worked to close the gap, netting their first lead since the first quarter with four minutes to go. USC's comeback effort saw the Trojans finish the game shooting 39.1 percent overall while Washington wrapped at 39.3 percent. Both teams finished with eight 3-pointers made, and the Huskies won the boards 37-32 although USC managed to outscore UW 32-18 in the paint.
USC was led in scoring by Kiki Iriafen's 19 points along with 17 from Juju Watkins and 14 from Kennedy Smith. Washington was paced by Salvia Sellers' game-high 24 points, with Elle Laine adding 11 and Dalayah Daniels and Hannah Stine providing 10 apiece. Stine also had 10 rebounds for the Huskies.
The Huskies got the first jump out of the gates, earning an early 7-2 lead before USC bit back with a bucket from Kiki Iriafen and a three-point play from JuJu Watkins to tie it up. USC's first lead came on a baseline 3-pointer from Kennedy Smith to tug the Trojans ahead 12-9 at 4:15. Another bucket from Iriafen built a 14-9 lead for USC, only to see Washington piece together the last six points of the quarter to take 15-14 advantage after 10 minutes to action. The whistle continued to blow against the Trojans as the second quarter unfurled. While Washington had just one foul in the half, USC had accumulated five — all of which sent Huskies to the free-throw line. Washington's rally extended to 12 straight points for a 21-14 lead with 6:30 on the clock until Watkins broke USC's silence with a 3-pointer seconds later. A collected rebound and putback from Kayleigh Heckel cut the deficit down to two midway through the frame. USC would earn spots at the stripe down the stretch, with Heckel and Iriafen perfect from the line as the score snarled up at 23-23 before halftime.
Washington found some key threes in the third and manufactured a 40-29 lead as the Huskies went on a 10-0 heater. A strike down low from Clarice Akunwafo busted up that party at 2:20, and although Washington hit another three next, USC found a spark on back-to-back threes from Heckel and Kennedy Smith and a Rayah Marshall score to carve the deficit down to 43-39 at the close of the third. USC edged closer and closer thanks in part to a couple threes buried by Watkins. Talia von Oelhoffen fed Kiki Iriafen for a bucket in the paint that got USC within two at 51-49 with 5:30 to go. After the Huskies struck, USC's Smith landed a swift three, and then von Oelhoffen found Iriafen again for a three-point play that tugged USC into its first lead since the first quarter, up 55-53 at 4:19. UW stole back the lead on another 3-pointer, only to see Iriafen score back-to-back buckets and Smith pick off a pass and find the finish to net a 61-56 USC lead at 2:25. Smith struck again on another clutch three at 1:30, and although the Huskies hit one of their own next, Iriafen came through with a big bucket to net a 66-61 USC lead entering the final minute. Washington made some late noise with a three with 12 ticks to go, only to see USC hold firm at the line to round out the 69-64 Trojan victory.
NEXT:
USC now turns to close out out the regular season in Los Angeles, with two game ahead at Galen Center next week. The Trojans are set to host a ranked Michigan State squad at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday (Feb. 19) before celebrating Senior Day on Sunday (Feb. 23) with a 1 p.m. meeting against Illinois. The Trojans top off the regular season across town with a visit to rival UCLA at 6 p.m. on March 1.
NOTABLE:
- With a team-high 19 points tonight, GS Kiki Iriafen has scored in double digits in 24 of the 25 games she has played this season.
- Iriafen has now crossed the 1,500 career point mark, now with 1,517 points in her collegiate career.
- With 17 points, SO JuJu Watkins has scored in double figures in all 25 games this season.
- With three 3-pointers made, Watkins has hit at least one three in USC's last 20 games.
- With seven points, SR Rayah Marshall moved up to rank No. 23 all-time in career scoring, now with 1,171 points.
- With one block, Marshall has recorded at least one block in the last 22 games she has played (52 total in that span).
- With one steal, FR Kennedy Smith has recorded at least one steal in 15 of 18 games played.
- Smith made a career-high four 3-pointers.
- Now 23-2 overall, USC has recorded back-to-back seasons with 23 regular-season wins.
- USC is now 19-0 when holding an opponent to under 40 percent shooting.
Washington manufactured a 12-0 run that spanned the first and second quarters to put USC on its heels in a seven-point hole. In spite of a slow-scoring second quarter, the Trojans worked their way back into the picture and had things level at 23-23 for halftime. USC had shot 28 percent from the floor to that point, with Washington at 29 percent. The Huskies also held the advantage on the rebounding front 20-18 by the break. Washington splashed four 3-pointers in the third quarter in a push out to a 12-point advantage before USC found a touch from beyond the arc. Six second-half 3-pointers fell for the Trojans as they worked to close the gap, netting their first lead since the first quarter with four minutes to go. USC's comeback effort saw the Trojans finish the game shooting 39.1 percent overall while Washington wrapped at 39.3 percent. Both teams finished with eight 3-pointers made, and the Huskies won the boards 37-32 although USC managed to outscore UW 32-18 in the paint.
USC was led in scoring by Kiki Iriafen's 19 points along with 17 from Juju Watkins and 14 from Kennedy Smith. Washington was paced by Salvia Sellers' game-high 24 points, with Elle Laine adding 11 and Dalayah Daniels and Hannah Stine providing 10 apiece. Stine also had 10 rebounds for the Huskies.
The Huskies got the first jump out of the gates, earning an early 7-2 lead before USC bit back with a bucket from Kiki Iriafen and a three-point play from JuJu Watkins to tie it up. USC's first lead came on a baseline 3-pointer from Kennedy Smith to tug the Trojans ahead 12-9 at 4:15. Another bucket from Iriafen built a 14-9 lead for USC, only to see Washington piece together the last six points of the quarter to take 15-14 advantage after 10 minutes to action. The whistle continued to blow against the Trojans as the second quarter unfurled. While Washington had just one foul in the half, USC had accumulated five — all of which sent Huskies to the free-throw line. Washington's rally extended to 12 straight points for a 21-14 lead with 6:30 on the clock until Watkins broke USC's silence with a 3-pointer seconds later. A collected rebound and putback from Kayleigh Heckel cut the deficit down to two midway through the frame. USC would earn spots at the stripe down the stretch, with Heckel and Iriafen perfect from the line as the score snarled up at 23-23 before halftime.
Washington found some key threes in the third and manufactured a 40-29 lead as the Huskies went on a 10-0 heater. A strike down low from Clarice Akunwafo busted up that party at 2:20, and although Washington hit another three next, USC found a spark on back-to-back threes from Heckel and Kennedy Smith and a Rayah Marshall score to carve the deficit down to 43-39 at the close of the third. USC edged closer and closer thanks in part to a couple threes buried by Watkins. Talia von Oelhoffen fed Kiki Iriafen for a bucket in the paint that got USC within two at 51-49 with 5:30 to go. After the Huskies struck, USC's Smith landed a swift three, and then von Oelhoffen found Iriafen again for a three-point play that tugged USC into its first lead since the first quarter, up 55-53 at 4:19. UW stole back the lead on another 3-pointer, only to see Iriafen score back-to-back buckets and Smith pick off a pass and find the finish to net a 61-56 USC lead at 2:25. Smith struck again on another clutch three at 1:30, and although the Huskies hit one of their own next, Iriafen came through with a big bucket to net a 66-61 USC lead entering the final minute. Washington made some late noise with a three with 12 ticks to go, only to see USC hold firm at the line to round out the 69-64 Trojan victory.
NEXT:
USC now turns to close out out the regular season in Los Angeles, with two game ahead at Galen Center next week. The Trojans are set to host a ranked Michigan State squad at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday (Feb. 19) before celebrating Senior Day on Sunday (Feb. 23) with a 1 p.m. meeting against Illinois. The Trojans top off the regular season across town with a visit to rival UCLA at 6 p.m. on March 1.
NOTABLE:
- With a team-high 19 points tonight, GS Kiki Iriafen has scored in double digits in 24 of the 25 games she has played this season.
- Iriafen has now crossed the 1,500 career point mark, now with 1,517 points in her collegiate career.
- With 17 points, SO JuJu Watkins has scored in double figures in all 25 games this season.
- With three 3-pointers made, Watkins has hit at least one three in USC's last 20 games.
- With seven points, SR Rayah Marshall moved up to rank No. 23 all-time in career scoring, now with 1,171 points.
- With one block, Marshall has recorded at least one block in the last 22 games she has played (52 total in that span).
- With one steal, FR Kennedy Smith has recorded at least one steal in 15 of 18 games played.
- Smith made a career-high four 3-pointers.
- Now 23-2 overall, USC has recorded back-to-back seasons with 23 regular-season wins.
- USC is now 19-0 when holding an opponent to under 40 percent shooting.
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