Indiana women's basketball hosted No. 4 USC and JuJu Watkins—one of the National Player of the Year favorites—on Sunday for a weekend matinee inside of Assembly Hall.
The Hoosiers, despite a solid defensive performance, couldn't keep JuJu Watkins quiet long enough as USC took down Indiana 73-66 on Sunday afternoon.
The Hoosiers' second consecutive loss dropped them to 12-6 on the season and 4-3 in Big Ten play. Meanwhile, the Trojans improved to 17-1 on the year and 7-0 within the conference.
Here's how it happened in front of a raucous white-out crowd inside of Assembly Hall.
SUFFOCATING DEFENSE NOT ENOUGH FOR INDIANA
Indiana’s defense made a statement early, but USC’s offensive firepower ultimately proved too much.
USC entered the contest averaging 84.7 points per game, the 10th-highest mark in the nation, and shooting 46.5% from the field. But Indiana's defense set the tone from the start, holding the Trojans to just 3-of-12 shooting in the opening quarter. Despite the struggles from the floor, USC stayed within striking distance thanks to its success at the free throw line, converting 7-of-8 attempts in the first period. Seven of their 14 first-quarter points came from the charity stripe, allowing them to stay within four points of Indiana at the break.
The Hoosiers' defensive dominance didn’t stop there. They forced seven turnovers in the opening 10 minutes and prevented USC from making a field goal over the final 6:47 of the quarter. Indiana's aggressive defense continued into the second, where the Hoosiers built their largest lead of the game, an 11-point advantage just 53 seconds into the second frame.
But USC, known for its potent offense, wasn’t about to be silenced for long. The Trojans responded with a 24-point effort in the second quarter, shooting 57.1% from the field and hitting two 3-pointers to take a slim lead into the halftime intermission.
Coming out of halftime, Indiana once again relied on its defense to hold off the Trojans. The Hoosiers limited USC to just 6-of-20 shooting in the third quarter, with the Trojans hitting only 1-of-6 from behind the arc. The Trojans' shooting struggles were especially evident at the rim, where they had difficulty finishing through Indiana’s defense.
However, USC’s ability to draw fouls kept them in the game. The Trojans went 21-of-24 from the free throw line (87.5%) on the day, with several crucial trips to the line helping them maintain their offensive rhythm despite their struggles from the field.
USC finished the game shooting 39.0% from the field and 33.3% from 3-point range, while surviving Indiana's bid at an upset.
JUJU WATKINS FINDS HER GROOVE LATE
JuJu Watkins entered Sunday's showdown with Indiana as one of the leading candidates for National Player of the Year, and although the Hoosiers did their best to make her earn every point, the USC star still found a way to deliver when it mattered most.
Watkins, the third-leading scorer in the country with an average of 25.5 points per game, finished the game with 22 points, leading USC to a 68-60 win over Indiana. But the Hoosiers' defensive game plan was effective in limiting Watkins' scoring opportunities, forcing her to work for nearly every basket.
Indiana's defense, led by Chloe Moore-McNeil and Lexus Bargesser, focused on limiting Watkins' offensive efficiency. The Hoosiers collapsed the paint when Watkins attacked the basket, often sending multiple defenders to make things difficult for the standout guard. Watkins was held to just one point in the first quarter, a free throw, as she failed to register a field goal. Indiana's defense was sharp, cutting off her driving lanes and forcing her to pass more than she would have liked.
Despite the Hoosiers' solid defense, Watkins wasn't to be contained for long. After managing just eight points on 2-of-6 shooting in the first half, she came alive in the second half, scoring 14 of USC’s 35 points. Her turnaround started in the third quarter, where she hit a nearly 30-foot 3-pointer at the buzzer to cap a seven-point frame.
As the game entered the fourth quarter, USC turned to its star guard even more. The Trojans' offense shifted to a one-on-one approach, giving Watkins the ball and allowing her to create plays. The strategy paid off, as Watkins repeatedly got to the free throw line, converting 8-of-10 attempts from the charity stripe to keep the Trojans in control.
Watkins' 14-point second half was crucial for USC, who leaned heavily on her scoring in the final two quarters. Despite Indiana’s strong defensive effort, it was the Trojans' ability to get Watkins the ball and put her in positions to score that ultimately guided them to victory.
INDIANA UNABLE TO KEEP PACE WITH USC LATE
Despite a valiant effort in the second half, Indiana was never able to get over the final hump on Sunday afternoon.
The Trojans led for most of the second half but were constantly pushed by the Hoosiers, who fought to close the gap at every turn. Indiana made several runs to cut the deficit to just a possession or two, only to see USC respond with key shots to maintain its lead.
USC’s largest advantage came with 2:15 remaining in the fourth quarter, when the Trojans led by nine points. However, despite being up by a comfortable margin, the Trojans were unable to put Indiana away, as the Hoosiers continued to find ways to stay within striking distance.
At one point, earlier in the fourth quarter, Indiana even took a brief 55-54 lead with 7:21 left in the final frame. The Hoosiers’ momentary surge came after a series of strong defensive stops and timely baskets, but the lead was short-lived. USC quickly regained control, scoring to retake the advantage and never looked back, holding off Indiana’s late-game push to secure the win.
FINAL STATS
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