by WESTWOOD, CALIF. — The USC women’s basketball team came up against a tough No. 10 UCLA team in the Pac-12 opener today in Westwood. The Trojans were within reach in the third, but a 3-point explosion by the Bruins ballooned the deficit to double digits, and USC could not recover. The 83-59 loss puts USC at 8-4 overall with an 0-1 start to conference action. UCLA stays undefeated overall at 12-0 with the win and is 1-0 in Pac-12 play.
Alissa Pili (Inupiaq) piled up 15 first-half points to keep a spark alive for the Trojans, who trailed UCLA 34-23 at halftime. USC shot 25.8 percent from the floor in the first half to UCLA’s considerably warmer 43.8 percent. Pili kept coming in the second, rounding out a game-high and career-high 28 points to go along with her 10 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the year. UCLA countered the Trojan freshman’s powerful efforts with a 3-point onslaught in the second half. The Bruins landed five 3-pointers in the third to turn a single-digit game into a double-digit UCLA advantage. The Bruins wrapped the game shooting 47.1 percent from the floor with nine 3-pointers made. USC shot 33.9 percent in the game and outrebounded UCLA 40-37.
Along with Pili’s 28 points and 10 rebounds, USC had Aliyah Jeune add 11 points. UCLA had four players in double figures, led by 21 points from Michaela Onyenware and Japreece Dean. Charisma Osborne had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Lauryn Miller added 11 points for the Bruins.
In the first, UCLA pulled out ahead of the Trojans on a 6-0 rally that was eventually broken up by a nice take to the hoop by Alissa Pili. That made it 13-8 Bruins with 2:55 on the clock, and then only Pili would be able to score for USC in the next stretch. Her next bucket was surrounded by eight points all from UCLA’s Michaela Onyenware, who lifted the Bruins ahead 21-10 thanks to her 13 first-quarter points. In the next frame, Pili kept piling up points for the Trojan cause to help USC keep pace with UCLA. Pili had 11 of USC’s 13 second-quarter points as the halftime score sat at 34-23 UCLA.
IN the third, USC carved the deficit down to single digits as Angel Jackson heated up in the paint. Pili served up three assists on Jackson finishes while the Trojans got to within seven, down 38-31 with 6:04 on the clock. UCLA responded with an 11-0 surge next, however, landing three 3-pointers in that stretch to go up 49-31 entering the final three minutes of the third. A total of five 3-pointers would fall for the Bruins in the last five minutes of the frame, and the Trojans were in a 60-39 hole entering the fourth. USC freshman Endyia Rogers got on the scoresheet in the third, only to see UCLA mount a 10-0 rally that had USC back 70-43 before Jackson snapped it with a score with 5:25 remaining. In the last 2:30, Pili piled onto her point total to the tune of eight points to finish out her career day and leave things as a final 83-59 UCLA victory.
NOTABLE:
– FR F Alissa Pili secured her fifth double-double of the year.
– PIli’s 28 points was the most by a Trojan this season.
