Big Second Half Dooms Huskies in 82-57 Loss at USC

Friday, February 1

Los Angeles, CA

7:00 PM

University of Washington

8-14, 1-9Pac-12

USC

12-8, 2-7Pac-12

Washington

USC

Photo by: Red Box Pictures

February 01, 2019 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

LOS ANGELES – Darcy Rees had a career-high 20 points and Mai-Loni Henson added 14, but a big second half proved to be too much for Washington in a 82-57 loss at USC on Friday night at the Galen Center.

Rees had a strong night down low for the Huskies (8-14, 1-9 Pac-12), hitting 9-of-16 from the field and adding six rebounds in the game. Henson connected on 5-of-8 including making 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.

Washington led 11-2 early in the game and held a 28-22 lead midway through the second quarter. However, USC would outscore the Huskies 27-6 on a long run spanning the half to pull away for the win. The Trojans ramped up the pressure on defense and forced the Huskies into 24 turnovers in the game including 11 over the course of the long run.

The Huskies opened the game on an 11-2 run, scoring on each of their first four possessions. Jenna Moser, Mai-Loni Henson and Missy Peterson buried three-pointers on Washington's first three possessions followed by a bucket from Rees, forcing an early USC timeout. The Trojans would take back the lead with a long 11-0 run over a three-minute stretch as the Huskies missed three-straight shots and committed two turnovers over the run.

T.T. Watkins ended the run with a putback at the 3:15 mark to tie up the game. After a USC bucket, Hannah Johnson got into the three-point act with a corner three and Rees hit a putback as the horn sounded to give the Huskies an 18-17 lead after one.

Montana Hagstrom opened the second quarter with a three-pointer to beat the shot clock to extend the lead to four. USC answered with a bucket, but Hagstrom drained another three-pointer, stretching the lead to five at 24-19. With 4:56 left, Rees would connect on another layup to give her eight points and give Washington a 28-22 lead going into the media timeout. However, USC took control the rest of the way, outscoring the Huskies 12-3 the rest of the way, forcing five turnovers and holding a 34-31 lead at halftime.

USC kept the run going in the third quarter, opening on a 15-3 run through the first four minutes, stretching the lead to 49-34 at the 6:04 mark. The Huskies ended the long run with a bucket by Rees, who would score on back-to-back possessions, but the Trojans would match each bucket with one of their own. Leading 59-39 with under a minute to go, a technical foul on Mariya Moore fouled out the Trojans main point guard. Melgoza would hit the free throws and Mai-Loni Henson hit a three on the ensuing possession as the Huskies quickly cut the lead to 15 at 59-44 after three.

Henson kept the run going early in the fourth with a bank shot alley-oop off the inbound pass to cut the lead to 13 at 59-46. The Trojans answered back with a 9-2 run, then two minutes later, used an 8-0 run to put the game away.

Shalexxus Aaron came off the bench to score 28 points for the Trojans including 12 in the fourth quarter. Kayla Overbeck added 17 points with Minyon Moore scoring 13 points and adding 12 assists.

The Huskies close out the road trip on Sunday, traveling crosstown to face UCLA in a 12:30 game at Pauley Pavilion.