Box Score Los Angeles, Calif. – The post play was dominant as USC defeated UC Irvine 75-56 at the Galen Center Monday.
The Women of Troy, who improved to 12-0 overall, out-scored the Anteaters 34-22 in the paint and took advantage of UCI mistakes, scoring 29 points off 22 miscues.
UCI (3-10) was led by guard Raelyn Cheung-Sutton with 11 points and five assists. Guard Irene Chavez had 10 points and a career-high seven assists. Chloe Kellum added eight points, while Paulina Santana had seven points. Brittany Glassow had a season-high six points and a season-high six rebounds to lead UCI on the glass. Mckenzie Piper and Tayla Jackson also recorded six points.
USC's Courtney Jaco led all players with 21 points off the bench, knocking down 4-6 three-pointers. Down low, Kristen Smith had 19 points and a game-high 13 rebounds and Temi Fagbenle chipped in 11 points. Aliyah Mazyck had three three-pointers and ended the night with 12 points.
USC held an 11-6 lead with 5:12 to play in the first quarter before the Anteaters ended the period on a 12-4 run. The Anteaters would score the final six points on a basket by Irene Chavez, a pair of free throws by Paulina Santana and jumper by Chloe Kellum. UCI would go 6-6 from the free throw line in the first quarter and hold a 16-13 at the end of the initial 10 minutes.
The Women of Troy would hit three three-pointers in the second quarter and take a 28-23 lead on Courtney Jaco's second from long range at 5:08. Following a Jaco two-point basket, Chavez knocked down a three-pointer and a free throw and Kellum hit another jumper to put the Anteaters back on top (29-28) at 1:03. USC's Kristen Simon would hit the final basket of the half giving the Trojans the 30-29 lead at the break.
USC went on an 8-0 spurt, including seven points from Jaco, to take a 42-35 advantage with 3:58 to go in the third quarter. USC would out-score UCI 25-15 in the quarter and lead 55-44 entering the final period.
UCI was plagued by turnovers to start the fourth quarter and USC would stretch the lead to 60-46 on a steal and layup with 8:31 to play.
USC out-scored UCI 45-27 in the second half, shooting 48.3% (14-29) to the Anteaters' 38.5% (10-26)
The Anteaters will play its final regular-season non-conference game Sunday (Jan. 3) at Bakersfield beginning at 1:00 p.m. in the Icardo Center.
