Getting closer: USC win over Oregon puts Trojans on doorstep of NCAA Tournament
The USC Trojans could not have started Friday night’s game against the Oregon Ducks any worse than they actually did. Well, technically they could have, but realistically, they could not have served up a more dreadfully abysmal first quarter.
USC hit just 3 of 17 shots in the first quarter and fell behind Oregon 20-8. Shooting under 20 percent speaks for itself. Oregon was desperate for a win, having lost most of its past six games. The UO men’s team was desperate against the USC men on Thursday, and that worked out well for the Ducks. It seemed the UO women would enjoy a similarly successful night.
After one quarter, it was hard to argue otherwise.
The Women of Troy aren’t an elite team or a brilliant team, but one thing they always do well: Fight On. This team scraps. This team always puts in the work and gives maximum effort. It is the obvious difference in USC hoops under Lindsay Gottlieb after several seasons of wandering through the wilderness.
USC held Oregon to 31 points over the game’s final three quarters, and just 16 points in a span of nearly 23 minutes, to rally for a 56-51 win over the Ducks.
Oregon had a 27-13 lead with 5:11 left in the second quarter. With 2:15 left in the game — 22 minutes and 56 seconds later — the Ducks had just 43 points. USC’s ability to completely lock down an opponent’s offense once again carried the Trojans on a night when their offense once again struggled.
USC hit just 30 percent of its field goal attempts, made only 61 percent of its foul shots, and made only four more baskets (19) than the number of turnovers it committed (15). Those are normally losing numbers, but not with this USC defense.
On offense, the heroine of the night was Okako Adika. On a night when teammates Kadi Sissoko (2-14) and Rayah Marshall (3-14) shot a combined 5 of 28 from the field, Adika scored 18 huge points on four 3-pointers. She also collected 11 rebounds.
Destiny Littleton added 18 points to give USC just enough offense to prevail. The Gottlieb-Beth Burns defense, however, was the clear star of the show.
USC held Oregon to 4 of 15 3-point shooting and forced 16 turnovers. Oregon didn’t help itself by making only 9 of 16 free throws in a game decided by five points.
USC moves a lot closer to the NCAA Tournament with this win. Two more wins should be enough, and three more wins will make the Trojans an absolute guaranteed lock. The Women of Troy are closing in on their first NCAA Tournament bid since 2014.
With defense like this, they will definitely have a chance to win games in March Madness.
