Washington Women’s Basketball Triumphs Over USC
In a decisive second-round matchup of the Big Ten Tournament, the Washington women’s basketball team triumphed over USC with a score of 76-64 in Indianapolis on Thursday. Elle Ladine played a pivotal role, contributing a personal best of 25 points for the Huskies, while Avery Howell supported the effort with 18 points and nine rebounds. This victory propels the eighth-seeded Huskies (22-9) into the quarterfinals, where they will face the top-seeded, second-ranked UCLA on Friday.
Game Highlights
Washington demonstrated their dominance on the boards, out-rebounding USC 44-27, and showcasing impressive accuracy with a shooting percentage of 50%. Key performances also came from Hannah Stines, who scored 12 points, and Brynn McGaughy and Yulia Grabovskaia, who each chipped in 10 points. Grabovskaia also secured 10 rebounds. Despite being the team’s leading scorer with an average of 19.2 points per game, Sayvia Sellers was stifled, managing only four points from free throws while dealing with foul trouble over 28 minutes.
USC’s Performance
For USC (17-13), Londynn Jones was the standout scorer with 19 points, complemented by Kennedy Smith with 14 points and Laura Williams, who nearly posted a double-double with nine points and 13 rebounds. Jazzy Davidson, named the Big Ten freshman of the year, faced challenges throughout the game, finishing with just eight points on an off shooting night (2-of-13), and ended up sidelined for the final seven minutes after appearing to sustain a shoulder injury.
Second Half Dominance
Washington maintained a comfortable lead in the second half, extending it to as much as 23 points, aided by a third-quarter performance where they shot an impressive 67%. Ladine’s offensive surge helped the Huskies secure a significant 56-36 lead entering the final quarter. USC did manage to narrow the gap to ten points late in the game but could not overcome the deficit.
Looking Ahead
Earlier in the season, USC had defeated Washington 59-50 in a home game. As the tournament progresses, the Huskies will look to bounce back after suffering a defeat against UCLA (82-67) on February 19, while USC awaits its fate regarding the NCAA Tournament.
