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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL — 2023-24
USC vs. Arizona — as it happened
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Scoring plays
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(Bryce Dechert / Daily Trojan)
📌 PINNED
Thomas Johnson & Leila MacKenzie from MGM Grand Garden Arena; photos by Bryce Dechert
It’s the Pac-12 quarterfinals, and No. 5 USC comes in as the No. 2-seeded team in the tournament. The Trojans will look to complete the season sweep of No. 5-seeded Arizona.
This is the third meeting between USC and the Wildcats this season. Most recently in Tempe, Kayla Padilla hit a game-tying triple with 7.6 second left before the Trojans clinched the win in double overtime.
We’ll be reporting live from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Refresh to see new updates.
8:06 p.m.
A tight one to the end. The Trojans pull out the victory over the Arizona Wildcats 65-62 after a sloppy game with 21 turnovers. USC advances to the semifinals of the Pac-12 tournament and will play the winner of the UCLA-Utah matchup later tonight.
7:54 p.m.
And graduate guard McKenzie Forbes breaks that funk right on cue with a triple. The Trojans have a 6-point lead with 1:53 left in the game.
7:52 p.m.
The Trojans are in a bit of a scoring funk — no buckets in the last 4:29 of game time. USC still leads 57-52 with less than three minutes left in the game. A trip to the semifinals on the line.
7:22 p.m.
This one is shaping up to go down to the wire. After Arizona takes its first lead of the game, junior center Rayah Marshall quickly ties it at 36-36, with an and-1 shot coming after a timeout.
The Trojans only have one turnover this half, but are shooting 33.3% from the field compared to their 52.4% mark in the first half. 4:21 left in the third quarter.
6:50 p.m.
The Wildcats started to battle back in the second quarter, but USC will head into the break with a 5-point lead, 30-25. Turnovers have been an issue for the Trojans so far this game, but they are shooting 52.4% from the field and 44.4% from 3-point range to keep Arizona at bay.
6:48 p.m.
Redshirt sophomore guard Taylor Bigby has been nails from the 3-point line, making three of her four shots from downtown. USC leads 30-25 after the Wildcats briefly tied it at 25 apiece.
6:44 p.m.
Despite the turnovers, USC is maintaining its lead because of the Trojans’ 56.3% field goal percentage compared to Arizona’s meager 34.6% USC leads 25-23 with 3:32 left in the first half.
6:38 p.m.
USC is forced to call a timeout after a flurry of turnovers from the Trojans. USC still leads 21-19, but it is looking sloppy with 5:48 left in the second quarter. The Trojans have totaled 13 turnovers so far and the Wildcats have scored 9 points off those giveaways.
6:28 p.m.
After the first frame, USC has built a double-digit lead, 20-9. The Trojans might have gone 8-10 from the field, but also had eight turnovers.
6:24 p.m.
One minute remains in the first period, JuJu Watkins has already hit double-digit points. She leads USC with 10 which is more points than the entire Arizona team.
6:21 p.m.
It’s been a little bit chippy so far today. Only three called falls between the two teams, but Trojan players and Head Coach Lindsay Gottlieb have shown frustration with the officiating so far. USC leads 18-7.
6:12 p.m.
Arizona calls the first timeout of the game as USC breaks out to a 9-0 lead. A great start from the Trojans as none other than freshman guard JuJu Watkins leads USC with 4 points.
6:02 p.m.
The Trojans’ starting lineup this evening…
G Kayla Padilla
G/F McKenzie Forbes
G JuJu Watkins
C/F Rayah Marshall
F Kaitlyn Davis
5:50 p.m.
Prior to USC’s matchup with the Wildcats, the Pac-12 presented the Trojans’ redshirt freshman guard Aaliyah Gayles with the Tammy Blackburn Inspiration Award. Gayles was hospitalized after suffering multiple gunshot wounds, still signed her NLI to play at USC, recovered and returned to the court earlier this season.
