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USC Women Score Road Sweep With Key 81-71 Win At WSU

Feb 7, 2021

BOX SCORE (PDF) | Boxscore

PULLMAN, WASH. — The USC women's basketball team rounded out an important road win with a powerful comeback victory in Pullman as the Trojans topped Washington State 81-71 after trailing by 11 in the first quarter. Five Trojans scored in double digits in the victory to provide a balanced attack that kept the Cougars off balance. USC improves to 9-7 overall and to 7-6 in in Pac-12 with its third straight win and second of the season over Washington State, which is now 9-7, 7-7.

After trailing 18-7 in the first quarter, USC stole into the lead and would never trail again thanks to a 10-2 scoring rally midway through the second quarter. Shalexxus Aaron's third 3-pointer of the half was followed by a buzzer-beater from Endyia Rogers, and the Trojans were up 41-34 at halftime. USC had shot 46.7 percent from the floor and from 3-point range as the Trojans nailed seven threes in the first half. WSU had hit five threes in those first 20 minutes and was shooting 44 percent overall.

In the third quarter, USC and WSU matched each other with 22 points each, with Rogers providing another buzzer-beating bucket to give USC a boost entering the fourth. That's where the Trojans dug deep. WSU fought back to tie it up on its ninth 3-pointer of the game, locking it at  71-71 with 2:30 to go. Amidst several USC trips to the free-throw line in the remaining time, Rogers came up with back-to-back acrobatic finishes to help the Trojans take back control en route to the final 81-71 win.

USC outshot the Cougars from the floor in the game, shooting 50.9 percent overall to outpace WSU's final 44.6 percent output. Both teams nailed nine 3-pointers apiece, but the Cougars committed 15 turnovers that the Trojans turned into 26 points. 

WSU also couldn't match the balance of USC's game today. Led by Endyia Rogers' team-high 22 points, USC had Alissa Pili score 18, Shalexxus Aaron add 15, Desiree Caldwell provide 14 and Alyson Miura serve up 10 points for the Trojan cause. WSU's scoring load, meanwhile, was shouldered by Ula Motuga (25 points) and Charlisse Leger-Walker (24 points).

NOTABLE:
- SO G Endyia Rogers scored in double digits for the 12th straight game.
- SO F Alissa Pili scored in double digits for the second straight game.
- Back from injury this week, SO G Alyson Miura scored in double digits for the first time since Jan. 14, 2020. 
- RS SO G Shalexxus Aaron scored in double digits for the second straight game.
- Aaron's four 3-pointers made was a season high.
- JR G Desiree  Caldwell scored in double digits for the sixth time this season.
- USC shot over 50 percent from the floor for the second time this season.

NEXT: USC has another Pac-12 road trip on the agenda, traveling first to Boulder, Colo., to face Colorado at 6 p.m. MT on Friday (Feb. 12). From there, USC goes to Salt Lake City to square off against Utah at 4 p.m. MT on Sunday (Feb. 14).