The USC women’s basketball team broke even on its Northern California road trip. The Trojans were able to secure their fourth Pac-12 win over Cal 75-67 on Friday but came up short with a 79-59 loss at the hands of No. 6 Stanford on Sunday.
Friday’s win at the HAAS Pavilion was nothing short of exciting. Cal senior guard/forward Jaelyn Brown got off to a hot start, ending the first half with 15 points. Despite Brown’s efforts, the Trojans were able to cut Cal’s lead, heading into the half trailing by one.
“We just kept our composure,” said USC freshman center Angel Jackson, who had a career-high 19 points. “We trusted each other with the ball. Whoever had the ball in their hand, we trusted them.”
Everything seemed to go right for USC in the third quarter. Graduate guard Aliyah Jeune sank a well-covered 3-pointer early in the third quarter to tie the game, giving the Trojans the momentum they needed. Freshman forward Alissa Pili played a physical game in the paint, earning her 17 points.
On the defensive side, USC was able to put an end to Brown’s hot start — holding her to just seven points in the second half. From there, the Trojans controlled the pace of the contest, never falling behind.
Cal nearly found a way back into the game in the fourth quarter, but USC was able to maintain its lead going three-for-four at the free-throw line in the last 30 seconds of the game.
The Women of Troy ended with big numbers in their win against Cal. The Trojan bench outscored the Bears 25-8, while four Trojans finished with double-digit points.
Sunday’s game against Stanford was a different story. The Trojans were completely shut down at Maples Pavilion as the Cardinal took a 28-point lead in a dominant first half. With its huge lead, Stanford was able to control the remainder of the game and lock down a comfortable 79-59 win.
In the first quarter, the Trojans were only able to secure six points off of two 3-pointers. Meanwhile, Stanford shooters were on fire, nailing six baskets from behind-the-arc.
“We were just not hitting shots,” USC head coach Mark Trakh said. “We have to go to the shooters more and close after the shooters with more urgency.”
The Trojans had a better second half, outscoring the Cardinal 38-30. However, the late effort would prove not to be enough to overcome the deficit that Stanford established early on.
Although USC fell to the Cardinal, Trakh said he is still pleased with the way his young team is playing.
“You got to remember we’re using these games as learning experiences,” Trakh said. “Nobody has four freshmen and one sophomore out there for prolonged minutes like we do.”
Pili, one of those freshman, led the Women of Troy with 12 points, marking her eighth game in a row with double-digit scoring. Pili has had 17 games this season with double-digit points.
Trakh and his team will now return home to face elite competition in No. 9 Oregon State and No. 3 Oregon.
“We just got to work hard all week, and prepare and get ready for two tough games,” Trakh said.