USC – Still Playing Their Way Up
February 18 and 20, 2011
Los Angeles, California
by Calvin Morris
The USC Women of Troy basketball team faced a more than formidable opponent in Stanford. While posting a 22-2 record, Stanford had not played very many close games in the 2010-2011 season. Only the early victories over Utah and Gonzaga were by less than ten points. Even the Cardinal's two defeats to Depaul and Tennessee were by deficits of twenty and ten points, respectively. In Stanford's twenty-two wins, the average margin of victory was fractionally over twenty-six points. This includes a twelve-point victory over the two-time defending NCAA Champion Connecticut Huskies, which snapped U Conn's record-breaking streak of ninety consecutive wins. Stanford also had a streak of their own – fifty consecutive wins over PAC-10 teams. In the vernacular, "Women's hoops at Stanford ain't no joke." On the other hand, USC's 15-8 record was much less impressive. Worse, USC's 95-51 loss to Standford this season demonstrated an even greater disparity in team performance. In this context, the Women of Troy stepped onto their Galen Center home court seemingly facing a tiger with a fly-swatter.
Realistically, the odds were astronomically against a USC victory. Keeping the game close, forcing Stanford to work hard on both ends of the court and earn a victory would indicate an improvement and increase team confidence. Despite being out-rebounded and making fewer trips to the free-throw line, USC managed to shoot a higher percentage and keep the affects of turnovers even. As a result Stanford's led at the half was only two points.
The second half was a different story. With less than four minutes elapsed Stanford managed to increase their lead to ten points. During this period, Stanford also lost Nnemkadi Ogwumike due to a sprained ankle. Nnemkadi was arguably the best player on the team and a major impetus in Stanford's surge. USC battled on but was never able to reduce Stanford's lead to less than five points. With approximately nine minutes Stanford's lead gradually increased. The final score was 78-64.
Surely, USC hoped for a better result but, by playing a top team as an equal for twenty-minutes, the Women of Troy learned what it takes to play with the best. Sustaining that level of play - understanding how player combinations, defenses, game situations and other factors affect decision making is the next key element of their improvement.
Box Score and Play-by-Play:
http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/w-baskbl/stats/2010-2011/0218stan.html
USC's next test came on February 20, 2011 against the California Golden Bears. California, was ranked somewhere south of fifty, had a an overall 14-10 record and was 4-5 in PAC-10 competition. One of the Golden Bears conference wins was an 82-71 victory over the Women of Troy on January 20, 2011. California was a team an improved USC squad should defeat. How would the Women of Troy respond?
Fifteen seconds into the game Cal drew first blood with a 2-point jump shot by Eliza Pierre. The lead would change three times afterwards. Ashley Corral's 3-pointer gave USC a 6-4 lead and the Women of Troy never relinquished the lead thereafter. The halftime score was 50-33. USC's field goal percentage was a deadly 64.5% to Cal's 34.3%.
It was no surprise that USC's field goal percentage dropped in the second half but the Women of Troy still shot the ball better than the Golden Bears 39.1% to 32.4%. The final score was 80-67. Despite some fundamental miscues, bad decisions and blown assignments, USC held their composure and held off a determined Cal team.
Box Score and Play-by-Play:
http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/w-baskbl/stats/2010-2011/0220cal.html
photographs on USC women's basketball |
photographs on USC women's basketball |
photographs on USC women's basketball |
