No. 8 Oregon Tops USC Women In Eugene

Jan 1, 2021

EUGENE, ORE. — The USC women's basketball team suffered a slow first half before finding its way in the second against a hot-shooting No. 8 Oregon, but the damage was done by then and the Ducks stayed perfect with a 92-64 win over the visiting Trojans in Eugene. Endyia Rogers led all scorers with 20 points for the Trojans tonight, as USC goes to 3-5 overall and 1-5 in Pac-12 play. Oregon improves to 8-0, 6-0.

The Ducks were clearly comfortable on their home court to start things off, shooting 51 percent from the floor in the first half to overpower USC's 30-percent effort. The Trojans came up empty from 3-point land in those first 20 minutes and were outrebounded 22-11 while committing nine turnovers as their host gripped a 42-19 lead by halftime. The Trojans got their feet back under them in the second half, staying in stride with the Ducks as each team pinned up 50 points in the final 20 minutes. USC found its 3-point game in the second half as well, landing six, but the Ducks finished up with 10 threes and stayed strong on the boards 38-25 to keep USC at bay. The Ducks finished out at 51 percent from the floor, while USC warmed up and finished at 48 percent in the game.

USC's Endyia Rogers wound up with a game-high 20 points for the Trojans, with Amaya Oliver adding 13 points and Jordan Sanders hitting double figures for the sixth straight game with her 11 points. Oregon had six players finish in double digits, led by Taylor Mikesell's 16 points.

After a slow start for the Trojans saw Oregon score the first seven points of the night, USC stayed in stride with the Ducks for the last six minutes of the first frame. But Oregon came out hot again to start the second, scoring nine straight points before USC's Desiree Caldwell slipped in a score for the Trojan cause before the five-minute mark. Down 28-14 at that point, USC would watch the Ducks make another surge. By halftime, USC had managed just seven points in the second frame to Oregon's 23 points, and the Trojans trailed 32-19 at the break.

The third period had the Trojans and Ducks go shot-for-shot, with USC finding its scoring touch to keep pace with Oregon in the frame as Amaya Oliver and Endyia Rogers got to double digits and 3-pointers started to fall for Rogers as well as Jordan Sanders and Madison Campbell. USC was down 60-46 entering the fourth and didn't back down in the final stretch as the game wrapped as a 92-64 decision for the No. 8 Ducks.

NOTABLE:
- With 13 points, FR F Amaya Oliver scored in double digits for the third time.
- With 20 points, SO G Endyia Rogers scored in double digits for the seventh time this season.
- Rogers also notched her second 20-point outing this season.
- Roger's perfect 8-for-8 FT effort was a career best.
- With 11 points, SR F Jordan Sanders hit double digits for the sixth straight game.
- Oregon's 51-percent shooting was the best by a USC opponent this season; 92 points was the most given up by USC this season.

NEXT:
With Oregon State still on pause due to COVID-19 protocols, that game has been postponed indefinitely, so USC returns home to Los Angeles to set up for next week's Pac-12 competition. The Trojans will host Utah at 6 p.m. next Friday (Jan. 8) and then take on Colorado at 11 a.m. on Sunday (Jan. 10) at Galen Center.