All it took was five minutes of basketball and a defensive adjustment for No. 5 USC to seize control against Fresno State on Tuesday night.
What started as a tight, back-and-forth contest changed halfway through the first quarter when the Trojans deployed a relentless, full-court trap. USC held Fresno State to 12 points for the rest of the half.
USC continued to smother the Bulldogs’ offense and put the game out of reach early, cruising to an 89-40 victory at Galen Center.
“We went to our press, which helps sometimes to generate some easy offense,” coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “I knew the offense would come. We just had to feel out what they were doing, find the soft spots. I think the press got us going.”
After the Trojans (9-1) deployed their press, they outscored Fresno State 40-12 to take command by halftime, aided by a 16-0 run, with the star duo of JuJu Watkins and Kiki Iriafen leading the way.
Iriafen had 24 points and 12 rebounds, extending her streak of double-doubles to four games.
“I’m just a lot more comfortable with what our coaches are trying to have us do,” the graduate transfer from Stanford said. “It’s kind of hard for me to make moves because I’m being doubled or triple teamed.”
With their ability to score, Iriafen and Watkins are drawing double and triple teams, which has forced them to find other ways to contribute without forcing shots. For Iriafen, it’s rebounding.
“Just being an offensive rebounder, defensive rebounder, with Rayah [Marshall] as well, is the best way to help my team right now and then just let the good come to me,” Iriafen said.
Watkins finished with 21 points, seven rebounds and five assists. She and Iriafen extended their streaks of double-digit scoring games to 10. It was also Watkins’ 36th game scoring 20 or more points.
Watkins nearly outscored the Bulldogs (7-4) in the first quarter, scoring 11 points on four-for-eight shooting. Her first-quarter scoring included a three-point play off a steal and a one-on-one isolation play.
She showcased her ability to drive into the paint and draw fouls and finished the game eight for eight from the free-throw line. Twice she was fouled on three-point attempts.
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“With the way she’s been shooting the ball, I think people are flying out at her a little more and sending her to the line,” Gottlieb said.
The Trojans capitalized on their opportunities at the line, hitting 22 of 25 attempts, while the Bulldogs made only six trips to the stripe. The disparity largely stemmed from the teams’ contrasting styles of play.
“They’re running five around the perimeter, not attacking the basket as much,” Gottlieb said. “We like to get to the paint, both with our guards penetrating and our bigs in there. … The work on the glass puts people under duress, and they tend to foul. We did our work getting to the free-throw line.”
The Trojans showcased physicality in the paint and at the point of attack on the boards, outscoring the Bulldogs 42-4 in the paint and dominating the glass with a 48-20 rebounding advantage. USC improved to 9-0 when outrebounding its opponent.
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The Trojans focused on feeding Marshall early in the paint. She finished with 13 rebounds, seven points, four assists and four blocks.
“She has been elite defensively,” Gottlieb said. “I cannot say enough. It’s so much more than just shot-blocking. She’s really anchoring, talking and understanding. … She’s kind of become a secondary playmaker. Really embraced that role.”
Watkins hit a buzzer-beating layup to cap the first half, heading to the locker room with 16 points. It was the first of two buzzer-beaters in the game, with Kayleigh Heckel hitting a a three-pointer to end the third quarter.
The Bulldogs tested Trojans early on but were held to 20 points in the each half — a drop in output for a team averaging 66.4 points per game.
USC forced 21 turnovers and recorded 10 steals, converting the takeaways into 33 points.
“We’re getting better and better,” Gottlieb said. “I’m sure we’ll find mistakes from tonight, even though we held them to 40 points. … I liked the intensity. I liked the intent.”
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
