USC Women’s Basketball Locks Down Western Michigan 80-50 For Third Straight Win
LOS ANGELES — The USC women's basketball team utilized powerful defensive lockdowns to turn a once-10-point deficit into a 30-point victory, stymying visiting Western Michigan in the second and fourth frames en route to a final 80-50 Trojan victory at Galen Center. USC outscored the Broncos 18-2 in the last 7:15 of action and had four players finish in double digits, led by sophomore Jordyn Jenkins' career-high 17 points. USC improves to 3-0 with the win, while Western Michigan goes to 1-2.
After a foul plagued first quarter, USC's defense locked things down in the second and turned a 21-13 deficit into a 32-25 halftime lead as Western Michigan landed just one basket from the floor in the second quarter. USC wrapped the first half shooting 40.7 percent from the floor to outpace the Broncos' slump to 28.6 percent after going 1-of-13 in the second. USC was also up on the boards 25-12 by the break. The Trojans would miss just one shot form the door in the third in building out a double-digit lead, and USC wrapped the game shooting 54 percent from the floor to Western Michigan's 30.5 percent. The rebounding margin wound up as a dominant 48-17 advantage in USC's favor.
USC had four Trojans finish in double digits, led by Jordyn Jenkins' career-high 17 points. Alyson Miura was next with 14 points thanks in part to a career-high four 3-pointers made, while Rayah Marshall at 12 points and Jordan Sanders had 11. Western Michigan hit eight 3-pointers in the game, with Lauren Ross scoring 13 points and Reilly Jacobson holding 11 as the two combined for five of those eight threes.
USC took a quick 5-0 lead before Western Michigan found its touch from beyond the arc, landing four 3-pointers in the first quarter en route to lead it 21-13 after 10 minutes. The Broncos shot 48-percent from the floor in that span, while USC's efforts were marred by eight fouls in the first frame. The Trojans stepped up their defense in the next stretch, scoring four points off steals and then getting back-to-back buckets from Jordyn Jenkins to make an 8-0 run to tie things up 21-21 with 6:15 on the clock. Fouls mounted fast once again for USC, putting Western Michigan in the bonus to snap its scoreless streak with the back end of a trip to the line. Alyson Miura converted quickly for her first bucket of the season to tug the Trojans back on top, up 23-22 at 4:50. She'd add her first 3-pointer later, helping USC to outscore WMU 7-2 in last 3:10 of the half for a 32-25 USC lead by the break.
In the third, the Broncos found its offensive groove again, making a 7-0 surge later in the quarter to get the margin to 50-41, but a freshman connection between Clarice Akunwafo and Rayah Marshall broke up that rally. USC would lead it 59-46 on Miura's second 3-pointer in the final minute of the third. In the fourth, Miura knocked down back-to-back threes to spark a 10-0 run. WMU got a bucket to go next, only to see USC close things out with the final eight points of the night to top off a final 80-50 victory.
NOTABLE:
- With 12 points tonight, FR Rayah Marshall has scored in double digits for the third consecutive game.
- Marshall set a new career high for herself with four blocks
- SO Jordyn Jenkins had double digits by halftime with 10 first-half points
- Jenkins finished with a new career high of 17 points to lead all scorers..
- Coming off injury, JR Alyson Miura played her first minutes of the season and scored her first points of the season and had her first double-digit game since Feb. 14, 2021.
- With four 3-pointers made, Miura set a new career high for threes made in a game (previous best was three).
- JR Alissa Pili did not play in today's game due to injury. She is day-to-day.
NEXT:
USC's next action comes up this Saturday (Nov. 20) with a 2 p.m. tilt against visiting Missouri State at Galen Center.