No. 6 USC finds fourth-quarter magic again in comeback win over Washington
No. 6 USC once again used a phenomenal fourth quarter to chalk up another win in a game where the Trojans were far from their best offensively until it mattered most. USC outscored the Huskies 38-21 over the final 11:51 of game time as the Trojans went red-hot from the field during the fourth quarter. The Trojans ultimately finished off a 69-64 win over the Huskies and will now return home to play their final three regular-season games in Los Angeles.
Fresh off a monumental win over No. 1 UCLA, the No. 6 USC Trojans found themselves in a bit of trouble in the third quarter against a 14-11 Washington team that had lost five of its past six games. USC scored just 23 points in the field half and was staring up at a growing deficit in the third quarter.
The Trojans shot 27.6% from the field in the first half and that dipped to 22.7% as USC went just 2-for-15 from the floor in the third quarter until forward Clarice Akunwafo knocked down layup with 2:19 remaining in the period. It would have been tough at the time to see it causing much of a spark. It drew the Trojans to within nine points at 40-31. A Washington three-pointer with 1:51 remaining in the third quarter stretched the Husky lead to 43-31. The 12-point cushion was the largest Washington had all night. Though none of that would matter as USC went red-hot from the field after that.
The Trojans shot 68% from the field from Akunwafo’s make until the final whistle, connecting on 15-of-22 shots and blitzing past Washington over the final quarter.
Kennedy Smith and Kiki Iriafen were monumental in the winning charge, erasing tough starts for both. Smith was 1-of-6 shooting for three points in the first half. Iriafen was 3-of-11 for eight points through three quarters. They combined to go 8-for-8 from the field for 19 points in the fourth quarter. Smith knocked down two huge three-pointers. Iriafen provided perhaps the two key plays in the win, connecting on a three-point play with 4:19 remaining that gave the Trojans their first lead at 55-53 since the first quarter. Iriafen also had a significant defensive play with 2:23 remaining when she poked the ball away from Washington’s Tayra Eke and Smith broke free for an easy layup and a 61-56 USC lead. Iriafen finished with a team-high 19 points.
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USC guard JuJu Watkins wasn’t the star at the end of the game but the Trojans wouldn’t have earned the win without her. She was double-teamed much of the game as Washington looked to keep the ball out of her hands, but knocked down two three-pointers in the fourth quarter and finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
USC had few answers for Washington guard Sayvia Sellers. She finished with a game-high 24 points, knocking down 4-of-7 three-pointers and scoring both inside and outside.
Next, USC returns home to take on No. 22 Michigan State on Feb. 19 and then Illinois on Feb. 23. The regular season finishes with another must-see matchup against No. 1 UCLA on March 1.
