Watkins scores 29, Forbes adds 22 and No. 11 USC turns back Washington State 70-62

Jan 27, 2024, 12:13 am

LOS ANGELES -- — JuJu Watkins scored 29 points with seven rebounds, three steals and three blocks and No. 11 USC held off Washington State 70-62 on Friday night.

McKenzie Forbes added 22 points for the Trojans (14-3, 4-3 Pac-12 Conference), who ended a two-game losing streak. Watkins, a freshman who missed one game this season, has led USC in scoring in every game she has played.

Tara Wallack scored 21 points for the Cougars (14-6, 3-4) and Eleonora Villa had 12. Leading scores Charlisse Leger-Walker and Bella Murekatete, who both average 14-plus points, combined for 13.

USC led by 21 in the middle of the third quarter and by 16 with 4 1/2 minutes to go but the Cougars went on a 9-1 run to finish the game.

Watkins poured in 21 points in the first half and Forbes added 13 as the Trojans raced to a 43-25 lead.

Watkins hit a game-opening jumper and had a 3-pointer that made it 10-0 and she hit a jumper as time expired for a 21-12 lead after one quarter.

Forbes hit a 3-pointer that put the lead in double figures for good at 34-22. Two free throws by Watkins and her second three-point play before Kaitlyn Davis hit a layup in the closing seconds pushed the lead to 18.

Forbes had three 3s as the Trojans were 5 of 10 and Watkins was 6 of 6 from the foul line and the team 8 of 10. Washington State was 4 of 14 behind the arc, made just three free throws and were outrebounded by 10.

A 3-pointer by Taylor Bigby and a free throw by Rayah Marshall put USC up 51-30 near the mid-point of the third quarter but the Cougars went on a 12-3 run to close within 54-42 entering the fourth quarter. The Trojans went 1 of 13 from the floor after Bigby's 3-pointer.

Forbes had the first four points of the fourth quarter for a 16-point lead and Watkins hit a 3 at the 4:38 mark to make it 69-53.

Washington State is at No. 2 UCLA on Sunday when Washington plays at USC.

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