USC knocks off UCLA in double overtime to advance to Pac-12 Tournament championship
In a contest that immediately jumps into the conversation as a game-of-the-year candidate in the Pac-12, the No. 5 USC Trojans went into double overtime to knock off the No. 7 UCLA Bruins, 80-70.
Two huge defensive blocks by USC kept the score tied at the end of regulation and the first overtime and the Trojans were finally able to separate in the second overtime to come away with the win.
Early on, this one didn’t look as though it would be that close. After UCLA took a 6-4 lead, the Trojans blew the doors off the Bruins with a 20-2 run to take a 24-8 lead at the end of the first quarter. Freshman star JuJu Watkins had nine points in the quarter. USC forced six UCLA turnovers and the Bruins missed their final eight shots of the first quarter.
Things flipped in the second quarter as the Bruins won the second 10-minute period 23-13.
The fourth quarter featured four lead changes early before an Angela Dugalic three-pointer with 1:38 remaining knotted the game at 59.
With just 22 seconds remaining in regulation, USC guard Kayla Padilla stuffed UCLA’s Londynn Jones on a layup attempt. USC wasn’t able to get off an attempt on the ensuing possession and the game went into the first overtime.
There, the Trojans found themselves down four with less than a minute remaining and Watkins at the free throw line. Watkins sank the first and missed the second, but Kaitlyn Davis was there to grab the offensive rebound and kick it out. The ball made its way to McKenzie Forbes, who drilled a three with 46 seconds remaining.
Davis came up huge on the other end, swatting a Lauren Betts attempt that ended in a jump ball call. USC did get a shot off on that ensuing possession, but a Watkins three was missed.
The Trojans wouldn’t be denied in the second overtime. A 7-1 run to start the period took the clock all the way down to 1:46 remaining and the Trojans finished a perfect 6-for-6 from the free thrown line in icing the game.
Watkins finished with a game-high 33 points despite seemingly injuring her ankle early on going down hard late in the game. She completed the double-double with 10 rebounds and added two blocks, two steals and an assist. It wasn’t her most efficient game as she took 27 shots from the floor, but the superstar was once again everything the Trojans needed her to be.
Forbes finished with 17 points while Davis and Rayah Marshall helped USC win the battle of the boards. Davis had eight points, 16 rebounds, three steals, two blocks and an assist. Marshall finished with seven points and 11 rebounds. Both teams struggled from the floor in the face of two tough defenses. USC shot just 31.5% from the floor and 21.1% from three (4-for-19). But they held UCLA to 31.6% shooting and just 5-of-30 (16.7%) from deep.
USC will get a much-deserved day off on Saturday before taking on No. 2 Stanford, the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament, on Sunday at 2 pm. Stanford defeated Oregon State 66-57 earlier on Friday to win their way into the championship game.
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