Pili scores 37 as #20 Utah takes down #6 USC

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) – The USC women’s basketball team was hoping to build on the momentum of its big win against rival UCLA last weekend, but the Trojans’ plans were scuttled by a familiar face.

Alissa Pili scored a season-high 37 points and had six rebounds against her former team to lead No. 20 Utah to a 78-58 victory over No. 6 USC on Friday night.

Pili shot 13 for 16 from the field, including a 5-for-6 showing from 3-point range. Matyson Wilke added 12 points off the bench.

Utah (13-5, 3-3 Pac-12) claimed its first win over a Top 25 opponent this season after going winless in four previous contests against ranked foes.

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“This was a big game for us to kind of propel us in the right direction,” Pili said.

The Utes did it by holding a second consecutive opponent under 60 points.

JuJu Watkins led USC with 24 points and McKenzie Forbes added 11. The Trojans (13-2 overall, 3-2 Pac-12) struggled on offense, shooting 36% from the field and going 7 for 14 from the free-throw line.

“They beat us in every way tonight,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “I thought they were better offensively. I thought they were better defensively.”

Issy Palmer returned to action for Utah (13-5, 3-3) for the first time since being sidelined in mid-November with a knee injury. Palmer started at point guard for the first three games before getting injured in a loss to Baylor.

The Utes overtook USC in the first quarter behind stifling defense, holding the Trojans to just 31% shooting during that 10-minute stretch. It offered a preview of how things played out defensively for Utah over the final three quarters.

“(Our defense) wasn’t perfect, but the effort was perfect,” Utah coach Lynne Roberts said. “The intensity and the mentality were perfect. That’s when good things happen.”

Once Utah took control, the Utes stayed in front. Pili scored four of Utah’s first five baskets in the second quarter, culminating in a 3-pointer and a layup off a steal that put the Utes up 32-20 midway through the quarter.

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Watkins scored a pair of baskets to fuel a 10-2 USC run that trimmed Utah’s lead to 41-38 early in the third quarter, but the Trojans were unable to erase the entire deficit. Pili scored three baskets to help the Utes end the third quarter on a 14-2 run. She punctuated the run with a 3-pointer that gave Utah a 61-44 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

“She’s good at everything,” Gottlieb said. “She’s a one-on-one matchup nightmare in the post and if she’s going to stretch it to three, it’s nearly impossible to find the right matchup.”

Utah has dominated two straight opponents, winning by an average margin of 28.5 points after dropping back-to-back games to Arizona and Stanford by a total of three points. The nature of those losses, coupled with earlier setbacks against South Carolina, Colorado, and Baylor – motivated the Utes to reestablish themselves at both ends of the court.

“We had lost a lot of close games to ranked teams and I think we were sick of coming up short,” Roberts said. “We’re playing with a little more swagger.”

USC struggled to keep the Utes from successfully attacking the rim. The Trojans were outscored 30-14 in the paint.

Utah maximized scoring opportunities on possessions following turnovers. The Utes turned 17 USC turnovers into 27 points, opening a door for them to pull away after halftime.

Utah next hosts No. 5 UCLA on Monday at 4 p.m. PT.

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