USC 3-Point Barrage Downs Buffs

LOS ANGELES - Southern California took advantage of hot perimeter shooting, nailing 11 3-point field goals to claim a 70-57 decision over Colorado Sunday afternoon at the Galen Center on the USC campus.

                USC (1-1) hit a scortching 50 percent from the 3-point arc (11-of-22) and hit timely shots each time the Buffaloes made a run. Brynn Cameron was 4-of-6 from downtown and led USC with 16 points. Simone Jelks, who had just seven 3-pointers all of last season, was 3-of-3 for the afternoon scoring 10 total.

                Freshman Brittany Spears led Colorado with 19 points, 14 of which came in the second half. Sophomores Aija Putnina and Bianca Smith each had nine points off the bench.

Colorado's had a first half to forget netting just 16 points while committing 15 turnovers. The Buffaloes made just 5-of-21 from the field (23.8 percent) and had trouble getting All-Big 12 forward Jackie McFarland involved in the game. McFarland was held to just one free throw for the first 20 minutes with two rebounds.

McFarland finished with seven points and seven rebounds.

                Southern California began the game on a 21-7 run, forcing seven Buffaloes turnovers in the first nine minutes and holding CU to just 17 percent from the field (2-of-12). Camille LeNoir, playing in her first game of the season, had seven of her nine points in the opening minutes of the game.

                Colorado closed the gap with a 7-0 run on a Spears free throw, and back-to-back 3-point field goals by Spears and Putnina, but Cameron scored five straight to ignite a 16-2 USC run to end the half. The guard combo of Cameron and LeNoir combined for 17 first half points on 7-of-11 shooting, including three 3-point field goals.

                McFarland was able to get back on track early in the second half with six points in the opening moments, but each time USC had an answer on the other end.  McFarland and junior center Kara Richards combined for six straight to knock the score down to 39-22, but Allison Jaskowiak, and Cameron answered with 3-pointers as the Trojans pushed the lead back to 47-24.

                Spears then hit a 3-pointer and followed it up with back-to-back scores as the Buffs went on a 11-2 run to narrow the margin to 49-35 with 12:13 left. However, once again Cameron and Jelks hit back-to-back from downtown to push the USC lead back to 20 (55-35).

                Overall Colorado committed 26 turnovers and shot just 38 percent for the game (21-of-55).

                Colorado will open the home portion of the 2007-08 schedule by hosting the 21st Annual Coors Classic, Nov. 23-24, at the Coors Events Center. The Buffaloes open with Siena on Friday, Nov. 23, at 7:30 p.m. while Rice will play Clemson in the early game at 5 p.m.