USC
Connecticut
USC Endures Narrow Loss To No. 1 UConn, 72-69
December 07, 2003 | Women's Basketball
Dec 7, 2003
By BETH HARRIS
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Diana Taurasi hit two 3-pointers in the final 2:39 when Connecticut clung to a one-point lead, and the top-ranked Huskies escaped with a 72-69 victory Sunday over Southern California.
The Huskies' 72-game regular-season winning streak was in jeopardy until Taurasi scored their final nine points. She finished with 26.
Rachel Woodward's game-tying 3-point attempt hit the rim and bounced away at the buzzer.
The Huskies (6-0) had defeated their first five opponents by an average of 33.2 points, but had their hands full against the Trojans. USC led by 15 points in the first half.
Barbara Turner added 19 points for Connecticut, which led 63-62 when Taurasi stripped Eshaya Murphy of the ball and hit a 3-pointer. Taurasi had missed three straight shots before she hit from long range to give Connecticut a 66-62 lead with 2:39 remaining.
Murphy hit a 3-pointer and Jamie Hagiya made two free throws to draw the Trojans to 72-69. Maria Conlon missed two free throws for UConn to create the last-second suspense.
Ebony Hoffman scored 15 points before fouling out late and Murphy added 13 points for USC (1-3).
Taurasi scored seven of the Huskies' first 13 points as they took a seven-point lead. The Trojans launched a 31-9 run on consecutive 3-pointers by Hoffman and Murphy that gave them a 37-22 lead with 2:48 remaining in the first half.
USC hit six 3-pointers during the spurt in which the Huskies committed eight of their 12 turnovers, including three by Taurasi.
Connecticut recovered quickly, outscoring the Trojans 13-4 to close the half trailing 38-33. Conlon hit a 3-pointer with six seconds remaining, then USC's Chloe Kerr turned the ball over and Turner stunned USC by hitting a basket at the buzzer.
The announced crowd of 6,172 at the Sports Arena was USC's seventh-largest ever. The Trojans lost their third home for only the third time. They were beaten by UNLV in 1989 and San Diego State in 1996.
