No. 6 USC women can’t slow Alissa Pili in loss to No. 20 Utah – Press Enterprise

By JOHN COON The Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY — The USC women’s basketball team was hoping to build on the momentum of its big win against rival UCLA last weekend, but the Trojans’ plans were scuttled by a familiar face.

Alissa Pili scored a season-high 37 points and had six rebounds against her former team to lead No. 20 Utah to a 78-58 victory over No. 6 USC on Friday night.

Pili shot 13 for 16 from the field, including a 5-for-6 showing from 3-point range. Matyson Wilke added 12 points off the bench.

JuJu Watkins led USC with 24 points and McKenzie Forbes added 11. The Trojans (13-2 overall, 3-2 Pac-12) struggled on offense, shooting 36% from the field and going 7 for 14 from the free-throw line.

Issy Palmer returned to action for Utah (13-5, 3-3) for the first time since being sidelined in mid-November with a knee injury. Palmer started at point guard for the first three games before getting injured in a loss to Baylor.

The Utes overtook USC in the first quarter with stifling defense, holding the Trojans to just 31% shooting over that 10-minute stretch. Pili scored four of Utah’s first five baskets in the second quarter, culminating in a 3-pointer and a layup off a steal that gave the Utes a 32-20 lead midway through the quarter.

Watkins scored a pair of baskets to fuel a 10-2 USC run that trimmed Utah’s lead to 41-38 early in the third quarter, but the Trojans were unable to erase the deficit entirely. Pili scored three baskets to help the Utes end the third quarter on a 14-2 run. She punctuated the run with a 3-pointer that gave Utah a 61-44 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

BIG PICTURE

USC struggled to keep the Utes from successfully attacking the rim. The Trojans were outscored 28-14 in the paint.

Utah maximized scoring opportunities on possessions following turnovers. The Utes turned 17 USC turnovers into 27 points, opening a door for them to pull away after halftime.

UP NEXT

USC visits No. 3 Colorado on Sunday at noon PT.

Utah hosts No. 5 UCLA on Monday at 4 p.m. PT.

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