Trojans' Valiant Effort Falls Short Against Huskies in Portland Elite Eight
The University of Southern California Trojans, ranked 3rd, faced off against the 10th-ranked University of Connecticut Huskies in a closely contested battle at the Moda Center. The final scoreboard read 80-73, with the Trojans now holding a record of 33-4 and the Huskies improving to 29-8.
From tip-off, the USC Trojans showed their determination to dominate on their home court. They outpaced the Huskies with a fast break advantage of 13 points but struggled to find their rhythm from two-point range, converting only 34 percent of their attempts. Despite this challenge, they excelled at free throws where they hit an impressive 90 percent from the line.
The game was marked by its intensity and competitiveness as evidenced by five ties and one lead change. The Trojans' defensive efforts were notable with six steals and four blocks but were slightly overshadowed by one foul out that could have impacted their defensive cohesion.
Offensively, USC's field goal percentage stood at a modest 33 percent compared to UConn's more efficient rate of 48 percent. The three-point line also proved challenging for USC as they made just nine out of twenty-nine attempts which translated into a three-point shooting percentage of only thirty-one percent.
On the rebounding front, both teams showed similar prowess; however, UConn edged out with forty-two total rebounds over USC's forty-one. The offensive boards saw ten grabs by USC players which provided them additional second-chance opportunities reflected in seven second-chance points.
USC's playmaking was evident through ten assists but was less effective than UConn's seventeen assists which contributed to a higher assist-turnover ratio for the visiting team (1.42) compared to that of USC (1.11). Turnovers were relatively controlled by both sides with ten for USC and twelve for UConn; however, points off turnovers favored UConn who capitalized with seventeen points while USC managed fourteen.
As fans reflect on this hard-fought game where every possession counted, attention turns towards future broadcasts featuring these talented teams as they continue their journey in women’s college basketball.