USC womens basketball overcomes poor shooting to

Jazzy Davidson glanced at the basket with less than two minutes left in USC’s Big Ten opener and in a split-second’s time thought of her choices. Nearly nothing had fallen from three-point vary for the Trojans. It took 25 minutes Sunday just to see one three-pointer drop, and the Trojans had made only two.

But the mere risk of the freshman pulling up from vary, even on a night time outlined by defensive wrestle, was enough to give Davidson the sliver of space she needed. After pausing she raced past her defender and toward the basket, lifting for a finger roll that propelled USC past Washington in a 59-50 victory.

The win wasn’t just a vital assertion for USC forward of its heavyweight battle with No. 1 Connecticut next Saturday. It was also a major mile marker for Lindsay Gottlieb, who turned the quickest coach in program historical past to attain 100 wins.

Washington wouldn’t make it straightforward. No. 16 USC (7-2 general, 1-0 Big Ten) and No. 21 Washington (8-1, 0-1) had battled, neither group managing to mount a double-digit lead. The Trojans seized the lead in the third quarter, but every effort to draw back was squashed by the Huskies.

A late flurry from a acquainted face in former Trojans guard Avery Howell, who scored 13 of her 16 factors after halftime, stored Washington within hanging distance until the ultimate minute.

But USC refused to back down. With less than 5 minutes left, Londynn Jones pressured a turnover, dove for a unfastened ball and began a fast break that was completed by Kara Dunn. Kennedy Smith, who scored 13 factors, hit a turnaround jumper in the paint on the next journey down. And then with less than two minutes left, Davidson took off through the lane, extending the lead to 5.

“I saw a resolve in our team,” Gottlieb said. “I knew we could get the next stop. I knew we could get the next play.”

It was a livid end to what had in any other case been a gritty battle between Big Ten foes. USC completed 23 for 60 from the sphere after lacking its first 11 pictures. The Trojans never fairly discovered their stride from deep either, hitting just two of 17 threes.

Davidson, in specific, opened the sport without any rhythm on offense. She began 0 for 5 and ice cold from the perimeter. But the freshman hit 10 of her last 16 pictures and ended up with a career-high 22 factors to go with 12 rebounds.

“There are just some nights that are like that,” Davidson said. “Sometimes you’re just off. Those shots you make 9 out of 10 times, just keep shooting them.”

That was the sentiment for USC early on as nothing was falling for the Trojans. They have been held scoreless for the first 8½ minutes as no one appeared secure from the teamwide droop.

But with its offense struggling, USC’s protection did its half to muddy up the sport. After one quarter, neither group was shooting better than 16%. They mixed to rating just 12 factors in the first 10 minutes.

Gottlieb was significantly proud of that stretch, even as USC struggled mightily to discover the ring. Still, the Trojans’ protection never let the early deficit grow. By halftime they’d tied the rating.

“To not score for 8½ minutes and not lose our spirit and only be down by four, I think, says a lot about who we’ve become and are trying to become,” Gottlieb said.

USC’s renewed rebounding efforts also made an impression, after assistant coach Beth Burns challenged the group to be better on the boards. The Trojans completed with 50 rebounds, a dozen more than their opponents.

That additional effort proved to be the distinction as USC held on against the Huskies, beginning its Big Ten slate with its grittiest win of the season to date.