The photographs had stopped falling. The strain had began rising. Contemporary off its worst lack of the Lindsay Gottlieb period, USC had, for the higher a part of three quarters, appeared properly on its method to a get-right win Tuesday, the type that may assist ease the embarrassment from a 34-point loss to bitter rival UCLA.
However over the course of the fourth quarter, as Oregon clawed its means again, the Trojans tightened up. The offense appeared out of kinds. The protection appeared out of breath. No. 21 USC (10-5, 2-2 within the Massive Ten) missed its first eight photographs of the quarter, simply as Oregon (14-3, 2-2) exploded on that finish, its worst fears coming to life out of the loss.
Over 4 minutes and 46 painful seconds, the Trojans went scoreless, unable to do a lot of something however watch as Oregon stole a 71-66 victory Tuesday.
The loss was USC’s second in a row, marking the primary time since January 2024 that the Trojans suffered consecutive defeats.
At the same time as Oregon mounted a late run, USC had its possibilities to shoot its means again into the sport. Londynn Jones hit a three-pointer, and freshman Jazzy Davidson knocked down a jumper, her solely bucket of the second half, to provide the Trojans a nine-point lead with slightly below 5 minutes remaining.
However these have been the final two buckets USC would rating. Oregon’s Ari Lengthy hit a three-pointer, then drained one other on the subsequent possession. The Galen Middle crowd groaned, seemingly realizing what was coming subsequent.
With 32 seconds remaining, Oregon known as a timeout. The Geese discovered Lengthy once more popping out of the break, and he or she knocked down a 3rd three-pointer, this one the dagger.
Kara Dunn did what she may to maintain USC afloat, scoring 21 factors and including 9 rebounds. Davidson struggled to search out her taking pictures stroke, however nonetheless stuffed the statsheet with 13 rebounds, 5 assists, two blocks and two steals to go together with 14 factors.
Jones even gave USC essential contributions all through, because the Trojans have been pressured to play with out sophomore Kennedy Smith, their greatest defender.
She was missed Tuesday, particularly down the stretch, as Lengthy torched the Trojans for 9 of her 11 factors within the last minutes.
The place USC goes from right here stays to be seen, however the schedule doesn’t get any simpler, with 4 extra matchups towards ranked groups earlier than January is up.
It took almost 4 minutes for USC to search out the basket to start out the sport, its offense choosing up proper the place it left off Saturday in its sluggish loss to UCLA. The Trojans missed 9 of their first 10 photographs, unable to search out any semblance of a rhythm.
Then lastly, Malia Samuels hit a nook three. Jones sank a three-pointer of her personal. Then Dunn bought within the get together.
USC exhaled — and proceeded to complete the primary quarter on a 16-0 run.
The protection did many of the heavy lifting from there, holding Oregon at arm’s size till the fourth quarter, when the Geese flew out in entrance, dealing the Trojans one other loss.
