Indiana women’s basketball hosted No. 4 USC inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Sunday looking to rebound from a 14-point loss on its home floor just three days ago.
Despite the Hoosiers leading by double digits in the first half and by 4 points in the fourth quarter, they fell 73-66 to the Trojans in Bloomington.
During the first four minutes of the matchup, the Trojans led the Hoosiers by 7 points as the latter risked falling behind by double digits. That was until the Cream and Crimson turned it on during the final half of the period, notching a 12-0 run to take a 7-point lead of their own.
USC sophomore guard JuJu Watkins scored her first points of the contest from the charity stripe with just under a minute and a half left in the opening quarter. The Hoosiers led by 5 points after 10 minutes as they held Watkins to 0 for 3 from the field.
In the second quarter, the Trojans showed why they are one of the top teams in the country. Watkins scored 8 points in the quarter as her squad went on a pair of 6-0 spurts alongside an 8-0 run.
The Hoosiers trailed by 6 points at halftime as the Hoosier faithful in attendance booed the officiating crew off the floor. The fans — and Indiana head coach Teri Moren — were displeased with the officials’ calls throughout the first half as the Hoosiers were called for 12 while the Trojans were whistled for 10.
Indiana held USC to just 13 points in the third quarter and regained the lead after graduate student guard Chloe Moore-McNeil drained a 3-pointer with less than a minute left in the period. But Watkins drilled a long ball of her own at the buzzer to give the Trojans a 1-point lead heading into the final quarter.
After graduate student guard Sydney Parrish hit a 3-pointer and a midrange jumper to open the fourth quarter, USC went on a 12-0 run to take an 8-point lead.
Although the Hoosiers pulled to within 4 points with just under a minute and a half remaining, the Trojans pulled away in the final minute to secure the 7-point victory.
Watkins led all scorers with 22 points and six rebounds. Parrish paced the Hoosiers with 16 points and 10 rebounds while Moore-McNeil notched 13 points.
The Hoosiers now have five days until their next contest against Oregon at 9 p.m. Friday. The trip to the West Coast marks Indiana’s first in the new 18-team Big Ten.
Follow reporters Dalton James (@DaltonMJames) and Savannah Slone (@savrivers06) and columnist Ryan Canfield (@RyanCanfieldOnX) for updates throughout the Indiana women’s basketball season.
