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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL — 2024-25
USC vs. Kansas State — Sweet 16 as it happened
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Henry Kofman / Daily Trojan
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Henry Mode & Stefano Fendrich from Spokane, Wa.
It’s a nail-biter late as the Trojans and Wildcats battle to take on UConn in the Elite Eight on Monday.
Five days after the superstar sophomore guard tore her ACL in USC’s Round of 32 win over Mississippi State, the Trojans are back in action against the Wildcats in Spokane. USC will need another gritty, well-rounded performance to keep dancing.
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7:05 p.m.
This one is over, as USC wins 67-61. With no Watkins and little contribution from Iriafen on the offensive end, the Trojans still pull out a win in Spokane to advance to their second consecutive Elite Eight.
7:04 p.m.
The Wildcats cannot take advantage of the opportunity despite two shots at it after an offensive rebound by Lee. Heckel hits a pair of free throws and USC leads by six with 8.1 seconds remaining
7:03 p.m.
Wow, the call is overturned and Kansas State will get possession. Wildcats ball down four wth 26.5 seconds to go.
6:59 p.m.
Huge contest from senior center Clarice Akunwafo and rebound from Iriafen as Kansas State senior guard Serena Sundell, who has been excellent tonight, can’t get a good look inside to go. USC has trouble inbounding the ball though, and the officials will check to see who will have possession with 26.5 seconds to go. The Trojans still have a 65-61 lead.
6:57 p.m.
After an ill-advised foul from Kansas State senior forward Temira Poindexter, Howell hits a pair of free throws. Then, after an even more ill-advised foul from graduate center Ayoka Lee trying to box out on free throw that went in, Iriafen goes to the line to shoot two more but misses both. USC leads 65-61 with 31.5 seconds remaining.
6:51 p.m.
Smith snags her third steal of the day and gets back to the line, where she hits one of two. 63-59 Trojans with 1:36 to go.
6:50 p.m.
62-59 USC with 1:53 to go after a pair of free throws from Smith.
6:48 p.m.
Timeout Gottlieb after a huge play by Smith on defense to keep USC in front 60-59 with 2:10 to go. The Trojans seems unsure of where to go on offense late without superstar sophomore guard JuJu Watkins and with Iriafen struggling, but are hanging on for now.
6:40 p.m.
55-51 USC with 5:56 to go. Marshall has stepped it up in the second half, making 4-5 shots — including the last two Trojan buckets. She has eight points since the break, tied with Howell for a team-high, and six boards.
6:30 p.m.
10 minutes left here in Spokane. The Trojans were much improved on offense in the third frame — shooting 60% from the field — but Kansas State also found somewhat of a rhythm. 48-45 USC headed into the fourth quarter.
6:18 p.m.
Howell has arguably been the best player on the floor today. She just had a crucial offensive board and putback to extend USC’s lead to 42-39 with less than three minutes left in the third quarter.
6:14 p.m.
USC is hanging in there for now, but they do not have much organization on offense. After the squads traded threes, Smith got fouled on a drive to the lane. USC is trailing by two with a chance to tie with the freshman’s two free throws.
6:07 p.m.
Quite a response from Marshall to her first-half struggles. She nails back-to-back Watkins-esque mid-range jumpers to start the half, and USC goes back in front 34-32.
5:51 p.m.
An acrobatic finish from freshman guard Kayleigh Heckel ends a pretty lackluster first half from the Trojans on a good note. In the first twenty minutes, 75% of USC’s points were scored by freshmen, and the three most experienced Trojans — Iriafen, Marshall and von Oelhoffen — are a combined 1-16 from the field. 30-28 Wildcats at the break.
5:43 p.m.
Marshall and Iriafen are 0-10 now. Hard to see USC pulling out a win if one or both don’t get it going on offense.
5:36 p.m.
Kansas State has stayed hot from three-point range as USC has lost any sort of offensive rhythm it had early. 24-22 Wildcats with just over five minutes left in the half.
5:27 p.m.
The USC lead is down to one after back-to-back Kansas State triples. The Trojans are just 2-8 from 3-point range so far — with graduate guard Talia von Oelhoffen missing all three of her early attempts from behind the arc.
5:24 p.m.
All six of USC’s first quarter field goals came from two freshmen — Smith and Howell. Graduate forward Kiki Iriafen and senior center Rayah Marshall — arguably the two most experienced Trojans — are 0-9 and need to find their footing quickly for the Trojans.
5:21 p.m.
An amazing sequence for freshman guard Avery Howell to close out the first quarter. Howell poked the ball away from a cutter, and then sprinted up the court to drill a transition 3-pointer right at the buzzer. It hasn’t been pretty, but USC is up 16-9 after one quarter.
5:16 p.m.
Rough start for both teams shooting the ball. Kansas State is 3 for 13 and USC is slightly better at 4 for 17. Smith is pacing the Trojans, making all of their field goals so far.
5:13 p.m.
Quick start for freshman guard Kennedy Smith and USC. Smith has five quick points for the second game in a row, and USC leads 7-2 a little over midway through the first quarter.
5:02 p.m.
We are off here at Spokane Arena. The winner will take on UConn Monday in the Elite Eight after the Huskies’ impressive 82-59 win over Oklahoma.
