Ducks Push No. 9 USC Sunday in LA

Sunday, January 7

Los Angeles, CA

12:00 PM

University of Oregon

9-7,0-3Pac-12

USC

12-1,2-1Pac-12

Oregon

Southern California

01/07/24 | Women's Basketball

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LOS ANGELES — Behind a game-high 18 points from Grace VanSlooten, four players scored in double figures to help Oregon challenge No. 9 USC Sunday afternoon, but the Trojans pulled away late to come away with a 68-54 win at Galen Center.

Five straight points from VanSlooten in the opening minute of the fourth quarter pulled the Ducks within a point at 50-49, but USC responded with a 12-3 run over the ensuing six minutes to push its lead to 10 points with just over three minutes to play. The Trojans outscored UO 18-10 in the final frame, with freshman JuJu Watkins scoring eight of her team-high 17.

"We played the game at our tempo," said UO head coach Kelly Graves. "It just kind of got away from us there at the end, they made some plays and, quite frankly, we didn't. We put ourselves into a position to win the game. We just didn't have enough bullets there at the end.

"For the most part, I'm really pleased with this game, much more so than I was on Friday. This is one of the best teams in the country, and we went with them toe-to-toe. Unfortunately in the end, we fell short. We did a much better job on the boards tonight, a better job of taking care of the ball."

Joining VanSlooten in double digits was Sofia Bell (11), Chance Gray (11) and Phillipina Kyei (10). Kyei grabbed 11 rebounds in logging her ninth double-double of the season and matched her career high with five assists while Bell knocked down 3-of-6 3-point tries. Gray, who missed Friday's game at UCLA, scored all of her 11 points in the second half.

UO led for nearly eight and a half minutes in the first quarter before the Trojans took a one-point lead with 13 second left on a 3-point jumper by Taylor Bigby, a lead in which USC would never relinquish.

"They've got a couple really, really good players that hurt us today," said Graves. "JuJu (Watkins) is a heck of player. I thought we did a good job on her tonight, but it's hard to keep someone like that down the whole game."

Watkins entered the game second in the nation in scoring at 26.9 points a game, but managed just seven points in the first half on her way to her second-lowest point total of the season. McKenzie Forbes and Rayah Marshall each scored 16, with Marshall and Watkins leading USC with nine boards apiece.

How It Happened: The Ducks led for over eight minutes in the first quarter, getting eight points on 4-of-4 shooting from Kyei, but the Trojans had a one-point lead after Bigby hit a 3-pointer with 13 second to play in the first. VanSlooten added three points and Sarah Rambus two in the first, as UO had a 12-6 edge in points in the paint.

USC shot 53 percent in the second quarter, as Kaitlyn Davis and Watkins each scored four to lead six Trojans who scored in the frame to take a 30-23 lead into the locker room. The Ducks made 3-of-9 field goals, including a pair of 3-pointers from Bell.

Kyei led all players with eight points and six boards in the opening half while VanSlooten added seven points and Bell six. UO shot 38 percent from the floor to USC's 48.

Gray, who was held scoreless in the first half, broke through with seven points in the third. Her effort, along with five points each from Bell and VanSlooten, helped cut the USC lead to six after three, 50-44. Both teams shot over 50 percent in the third, with UO scoring 21 to the Trojans' 20.

"We hit a couple of threes and that made the offense flow a little better and put some pressure on their defense," Graves added. "Grace was a lot more aggressive in that (third) quarter. I thought we executed well when we ran sets, for the most part I thought we executed well."

VanSlooten scored five points in the opening minute of the fourth, converting a layup while being fouled to bring the Ducks within a point at 50-49. The Trojans responded by scoring eight of the next nine points in putting together a 12-3 spurt, creating an 10-point gap at 62-52 with just three minutes to play.

"The three games we've had to start (conference play) with all on the road," Graves finished. "It'll be good to get back home for a couple games this week. We've got to continue to get better, but this is something to build on."

Notable: Kyei turned in her ninth double-double of the season, second in the Pac-12, and now has 17 for her career to move her into a 12th-place tie in UO history … UO is now 0-3 against ranked teams this season, facing back-to-back teams ranked in the top 10 (No. 2 UCLA, No. 9 USC) … VanSlooten led Oregon is scoring for the seventh time this season and 14^th time in her career.

Up Next: The Ducks return to Matthew Knight Arena Friday to host Arizona State (7 p.m. PT, Pac-12 Oregon).