No. 4 USC women rally to close first Big Ten road trip with win over No. 8 Maryland
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — JuJu Watkins and USC figured to do a lot of traveling in the Trojans’ first season in the Big Ten.
So far, so good.
No. 4 USC completed a two-game eastern sweep Wednesday night, handing No. 8 Maryland its first loss 79-74. The victory came after the Trojans decimated Rutgers 92-42 on Sunday.
“We’ve been on the East Coast now for like four days,” Watkins said. “It’s freezing.”
JuJu Watkins had 23 points and 14 rebounds to help No. 4 USC rout Rutgers. The Trojans led 37-14 at halftime.
Perhaps that explained Watkins’ spotty shooting. She went 7 for 19 from the field, turned the ball over eight times and eventually fouled-+ out in the final minute. She scored 21 points, her lowest output in nearly a month.
USC still managed to outscore Maryland 18-6 to end the game. Kiki Iriafen also scored 21.
Shyanne Sellers scored 26 points for Maryland, but the Terrapins (14-1, 4-1 Big Ten) came up empty down the stretch after leading by seven in the fourth quarter.
A three-point play by Iriafen gave USC a 75-72 lead with 1:28 to play. Then Rayah Marshall blocked a jumper by Sellers.
Watkins fouled out on an offensive foul with 31 seconds left, but Maryland’s Saylor Poffenbarger missed from three-point range, and Avery Howell pushed the Trojans’ lead to five with a couple of free throws.
“We just kind of have this unwavering confidence in ourselves,” Watkins said. “It was just a matter of coming together and closing the game out.”
JuJu Watkins finishes with 25 points as USC holds off a second-half surge by No. 4 UConn to earn its biggest win of the young season in a 72-70 victory.
The Trojans have already logged quite a few miles. They beat Mississippi in Paris in November. Last month they traveled to Connecticut and beat UConn.
USC returns home to face Penn State on Sunday. Coach Lindsay Gottlieb said she’s still learning the rhythm of a new league.
“The Pac-12 was two games in a weekend, Friday-Sunday, and everyone’s doing the same thing. Now we’re like, ‘Wait, who’s playing who when?’” she said. “It’s really different for us, and so as coaches we’re trying to process all that and keep things as normalized for the team as possible.”
It’s also an opportunity for USC to play in areas less familiar with the Trojans. It was their first matchup with Maryland since 1995, and the game drew 14,735.
“It’s just platforms for them that we have never had before, and that’s a really positive thing. It’s up to us and my administration and me to make it as seamless as possible for them,” Gottlieb said. “We’ll go anywhere and play. I think our players have proven that.”
Trister writes for the Associated Press.
