Alyson Miura’s Buzzer-Beater Scores 60-58 Win Over ASU For USC Women’s Basketball

LOS ANGELES — The USC women's basketball team shrugged off a seven-point deficit to host Arizona State in the fourth quarter and pressed on to create a crazy final minute that saw Alyson Miura hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to win it for the Trojans 60-58. The dramatic finish lifts USC to 12-14 overall and to 5-11 in Pac-12 play, while the Sun Devils go to 12-12, 4-7.

It was largely a neck-and-neck battle throughout, with the lead changing hands 13 times and with eight ties along the way. The Trojans trailed 49-42 with 6:45 to go, but USC would chisel that down to two on a 3-pointer from Tera Reed. ASU answered with a score to go up 56-52 with 2;35 remaining, but Reed kept coming and had USC on top 57-56 with 34 seconds on the clock. ASU's 20th offensive board of the game refueled the Sun Devils, who connected to go up 58-57  with 15 seconds left. A wild final possession saw Miura get the last look, as she buried the winner for the Trojans.

ALYSON MIURA AT THE BUZZER!!! pic.twitter.com/iBDuP8Kt8J

— USC Women's Basketball (@USCWBB) February 25, 2022

USC finished out the game shooting 40.8 percent from the floor, spurred by a 60-percent 3-point effort that saw the Trojans hit nine threes — three from Miura, three from Jordan Sanders and two from Tera Reed. ASU hit three 3-pointers, but was 0-for-7 from beyond the arc in the second half. The Sun Devils finished up shooting 29.9 percent overall but did own the boards 46-36, including those 20 offensive rebounds. 

USC's offense was charged up by 17 points apiece from Reed and Sanders, along with  13 from Rayah Marshall, who added her third straight double-double with 11 rebounds. ASU received a game-high 22 points from Jade Loville along with 11 points and 11 boards from Mael Gilles. Katelyn Levings also added 12 rebounds for the Sun Devils. 

It was a slow scoring start for both teams out of the gates, but ASU had the edge from 3-point range and was in control on the offensive boards to hold a 14-9 lead after 10 minutes of action. USC's Tera Reed and Jordan Sanders each buried threes in that opening stretch to get USC a lift, and then Rayah Marshall connected on back-to-back buckets to kick off the second quarter and make it a one-point game. Marshall would convert a three-point play later, and Sanders nailed another three for the Trojan cause to net a 19-17 USC lead at 4:45. ASU would get granted some trips to the line later, as the Sun Devils worked back ahead 23-19 before Sanders delivered a smooth jumper for USC. Down two in the final minute, the Trojans got a 3-pointer from Alyson Miura with 15 seconds left, and USC would edge ahead 24-23 for halftime.  

A three-point play from Sanders was followed by six straight ASU points as the Trojans came up empty from the floor for a stretch. Free throws from Desiree Caldwell and then a runner from Tera Reed broke things up got things all even at 31-31 at 4:40 in the third. As Marshall worked her  way into a double-double for the third straight game, the Trojans would stay in stride with the Sun Devils, with Marshall landing a 3-point equalizer with 36 seconds left in the frame to snarl things up 40-40 entering the fourth. As the Trojans' foul count expanded, ASU made a 9-0 run to lead it 49-42. Sanders delivered two free throws to break up that run at 6:39, but she'd get tagged with her fifth foul just seconds later. Undeterred, USC carved the deficit down to 54-52 with 4:30 to go as Miura and Reed each buried their second 3-pointers of the day. Reed would shoulder the load in the next stretch as she edged USC ahead 57-56 in the final minute after a takeaway for Marshall to set up the frantic finish that was topped off by Miura's heroic final splash.

NOTABLE:
- With three blocks today, Marshall extended her run of games with at least one block to 21 straight. 
- With 17 points, Marshall scored in double digits for the 10th straight game. 
- With 11 rebounds, Marshall recorded her third straight double-double (sixth of her career).
- With 13 points, GS Jordan Sanders scored in double digits for the sixth time in the past seven games.
- With 17 points, GS Tera Reed set a new USC high.
- This was USC's first win this season after trailing with five minutes to go.
- It also marked USC's first win by a margin of three or fewer points.

NEXT:
USC wraps the regular season with an 11 a.m. clash at No. 8 Arizona on Saturday (Feb. 26) in Tucson.