Products You May Like
Entering their matchup versus No. 4 USC undefeated, No. 8 Maryland walked away with their first loss of the season, dropping the game 79-74.
The Terps were in the driver’s seat with under three minutes left, leading 72-70. However, the Trojans demonstrated the hearts of champions and outexecuted Maryland during the closing minutes. JuJu Watkins converted on a pair of free throws, and after Kiki Iriafen scored on an and-one play, USC was up 75-72.
Watkins fouled out with 31 seconds left to play, but her teammates closed Maryland out with Avery Howell hitting two free throws, followed by Iriafen making another pair immediately after her.
Maryland missed five-straight field goal attempts during this stretch, sealing their fate.
USC’s key players put in some big performances. Watkins scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds, while Iriafen matched that point total and grabbed seven boards. Rayah Marshall led the team in rebounding with 15. Freshmen Kayleigh Heckel and Avery Howell also stepped up big for USC, scoring 10 points each.
Maryland played a great game on paper, despite losing. Shyanne Sellers scored 26 points, Kaylene Smikle added 16 points and Christina Dalce had a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds.
A break down of the battle between the Trojans, Terps
The Terps started this game in control and jumped out to an early 11-5 lead midway through the opening quarter. With under four minutes left in the first, USC went on a mini run, scoring four-straight points and closing the deficit down to five points. Iriafen hit a jumper with 1:09 left in the first, and after a made 3-pointer by Heckel, part of a seven-point burst from her in the opening quarter, USC trailed by just two points entering the second period.
During the opening minutes of the second quarter, both teams exchanged baskets. A Watkins 3-pointer and a pair of Iriafen free throws put the Trojans up 29-26 with 4:06 left in the half. USC never trailed again in the half, but Maryland kept themselves in the game with 4-0 run to end the quarter thanks to a Sarah Te-Biasu 3-pointer and a Mir McLean free-throw conversion. The Trojans were up by the slimmest of margins entering the second half, 35-34.
Iriafen had a tremendous game and gave USC some breathing room, scoring three-straight points to give the Trojans a 38-34 edge to begin the second half. Maryland cooled things down with Smikle scoring back-to-back field goals to put the Terps within one point. Smikle and Sellers continued to be the one-two combo Maryland needed to stay in the game. After a Sellers layup, Maryland was up by four with 3:41 left in the third.
USC immediately responded with a 3-pointer and retook the lead thanks to a made basket by Watkins with under two minutes left in the frame. Both teams exchanged baskets, and after three quarters of play, the game was even at 58.
Maryland scored four-straight to start the fourth quarter. USC struggled to get production from anyone not named Iriafen or Watkins to begin the final period. Then, with the game hanging in the balance, Kennedy Smith responded with seven-straight points for the Trojans to even the contest at 68.
A Sellers made layup gave Maryland a 72-70 lead, which was the last time the Terps were in control. A gutsy USC team closed things out with Iriafen leading the way and Maryland unable to make any baskets down the stretch. Sellers made one final layup in the closing seconds, but it wasn’t enough to change the results.
Key takeaways
Maryland went cold late, but USC made an impact near the end of the game, forcing those misses. Iriafen stepped up big, and the Terps had no answer for her. She has too much size, strength and skill, and was comfortable taking big shots down the stretch. Watkins also was good, doing well from the charity stripe by going 6-for-8. However, she must be careful not to get in foul trouble in these big games. Missing time late in March could ruin a title run.
Maryland’s guards were stellar, but fell short during clutch time. If Maryland could have won the rebounding battle, perhaps they would have won this game. However, they lost the battle of the boards, 47-40.
Both teams have bright futures moving forward and proved why they are considered top-10 teams in the nation. Right now, USC is just a bit sharper.