USC Women's Basketball Stalls Out In 77-52 Loss To Oregon State

Feb 19, 2021

LOS ANGELES — The USC women's basketball team came up against a hot-handed Oregon State squad on Friday afternoon at Galen Center, falling behind and unable to catch the Beavers as they shot 54 percent from the floor en route to the 77-52 win over the Trojans. The loss puts USC at 10-9 overall and 8-8 in Pac-12 play, while Oregon State goes to 7-6, 5-6.

A hot-shooting first quarter gave way to a rough go for the Trojans in the second. USC scored just seven points in the frame while Oregon State peeled out to a 37-23 lead by halftime. The Trojans had shot just 29 percent from the floor in this first 20 minutes — plagued by an 0-fo-10 outing to close the second quarter. Meanwhile, the Beavers shot 52 percent from the floor in the first half. OSU also was 7-of-10 from the free-throw line while USC didn't shoot any free throws until late in the second, going 2-for-2. USC would warm up a bit in the second half, but could not reel in the Beavers. By the final buzzer, OSU had shot 54 percent from the floor to outpace USC's final 32 percent effort. The Beavers also went 16-of-20 from the free-throw line while the Trojans were 4-of-8. OSU also dominated the boards 44-25.

USC had just one Trojan score in double digits with Alissa Pili's 13 points, which included a career-high three 3-pointers made by the forward. Oregon State received 19 points from Talia von Oeehoffen, 17 from Aleah Goodman and 13 from Ellie Mack, with Taylor Jones leading on the boards with 13 rebounds.

OSU made a 7-0 run before Jordan Sanders stepped up and hit a three and a jumper fro the Trojans to make it 13-9 and get USC a lift. The Beavers fired back, only to see Alissa Pili land a three that sparked a 7-0 rally for the Trojans to cut the margin to two. The Beavers would launch a long one at the buzzer, though, draining it to take a 21-16 lead at the end of the first. Alyson Miura landed a three for the Trojans to make it 26-21 OSU at 6:25, but USC would come up empty from the floor for the next stretch outside of a pair of free throws planted by Pili as the Beavers were up 37-23 by halftime.

USC's offense began to pick up in the third, with a trio of threes coming from Trojan hands in the first five minutes. Pili planted two more 3-pointers to set a new best for herself, and Sander drained her second. Later, Endyia Rogers finished a steal and then dished to Jordyn Jenkins as USC carved the deficit to single digits at 45-36 with 3:55 on the lock, but OSU was able to knock down some clutch threes to pad out the lead to 53-38 entering the fourth. The Beavers scored the first 11 points of the frame to dig USC into a 64-38 hole,, and the Trojans were unable to make up the ground in the remaining six minutes.

NOTABLE:
- SO F Alissa Pili scored in double digits for the fourth time this season.
- Pili made a new career high of three 3-pointers.
- USC is now 0-3 when having only one player score in double digits.
- USC's 52 points tied a season low, and its 32-percent offensive outing was a season low.

NEXT:
USC plays its final home game of the regular season on Sunday (Feb. 21) with No. 13 Oregon coming to Galen Center for a Pac-12 tilt.