Colorado
16-14,5-13Pac-12
USC
17-13,8-10Pac-12
Team Stats
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
Late USC Rally Downs Buffs
March 05, 2020 | Women's Basketball
Southern Cal (17-13) used a 9-0 run midway through the fourth quarter and a 13-1 run to end the game. The Trojans shot 61.2 percent (30-49) and an even 50 percent (7-14) from 3-point range. Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, Alissa Pili, led all players with 22 points. Endyia Rogers (15) and Kayla Overbeck (10) also scored in double figures.
Colorado (16-14) wasn't able to keep pace with the Trojans down the stretch, hitting just 33.3 percent (20-60) from the field. Sophomore Peanut Tuitele led the Buffs, matcher her career-high with 18 points. Junior Mya Hollingshed finished with 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Freshman Jaylyn Sherrod opened the contest with a quick basket in the game's first possession but got behind early. USC forced two early turnovers and jumped out to a 5-2 lead. The Trojans shot 61.5 percent in the quarter and used an 8-0 run to gain its largest lead of the half, 16-6. Colorado was just 4-for-12 in the quarter, getting all but one point from Tuitele and Sherrod.
CU used a Hollingshed 3-pointer to cut the USC lead to 18-14 in the opening minute and worked its way to within three points in the first four minutes of the frame. Aubrey Knight tied the game at 26-26 and the Buffs kept USC to an empty possession and pushed back up court. Tuitele put the Buffs up 28-26 with 3:20 to play, gaining its first lead since 2-0.
The Buffs offense picked up momentum in the second quarter, hitting 44.4 percent (8-for-18). Colorado outscored USC, 21-14 in the quarter, helping tie the game 32-32 at the half. The Trojans' offense cooled off a bit, shooting 46.2 percent (6-of-13).
Colorado started 0-for-5 out of halftime, allowing USC to go up 38-34. The Buffs chiseled away and a three-point play from Quinessa Caylao-Do put CU back in the lead, 39-38. The lead swapped back and forth five times in the quarter, resulting in USC taking a three-point lead, 49-46, into the final quarter.
A Hollingshed layup cut the USC advantage to one, 49-48, early in the second quarter, but that would be as close as CU would get. The Trojans limited CU's chances in the quarter, keeping the Buffs to just 3-for-12 from the field. USC outscored the Buffs 20-8 in the final period and shot a blistering 75.0 percent (9-12) in the quarter.
KEY STATISTIC: The Buffs outscored USC 17-0 in second-chance points. Colorado got nine second-chance points in its 21-point second quarter. CU's production fell off in the fourth quarter, totaling just two points on the second effort.
NOTES: Colorado is now 1-1 all-time against USC in the Pac-12 Tournament…The Buffs are now 6-9 all-time in the Pac-12 Tournament…Colorado won the rebounding category, 28-27…USC scored 22 points off CU's 11 turnovers…Sherrod added five assists on the day, giving her 152 (ninth in single-season history for CU)…Caylao-Do, a senior, playing potentially her final game at CU finished with eight points and five rebounds…If it is Caylao-Do's final game she closes with 719 career points, 159 assists and 322 rebounds.
NEXT UP: The Buffs will now wait and see about a potential postseason berth. Colorado's above. 500 record qualifies them for a bid to play in the WNIT. The announcement of the WNIT field will be after the women's NCAA Selections Show on Monday, March 16.