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Photo by: Percy Anderson
USC Women Open Pac-12 Play With Rivalry Clash Against UCLA At Galen
December 26, 2018 | Women's Basketball, Features
Women of Troy bring a 10-1 overall record into conference action, starting Sunday against the Bruins at 2 p.m.
THIS WEEKÂ
Pac-12 play is officially underway this week, as USC kicks off conference action with a rivalry matchup against UCLA. The Trojans (10-1) host the Bruins (6-5) at 2 p.m. on Sunday (Dec. 30) at Galen Center in a clash that will be televised on Pac-12 Network and Pac-12 Los Angeles, with Roxy Bernstein and Tammy Blackburn on the call.
IN THE NATION
USC is receiving votes in the latest AP and USA Today Coaches polls. On Dec. 18, USC climbed into the USA Today Coaches rankings, weighing in at No. 25 in the land last week. It was USC's first time back in the rankings since the final AP poll of the 2013-14 season, which had USC at No. 25. The Trojans' last appearance in the USA Today poll jad been Nov. 15, 2011, at No. 22.Â
LAST ACTIONÂ Â Â
USC came up with a road split before the holiday break, taking its first loss of the season in the Trojans' first face-off with a ranked opponent with a 71-51 defeat at No. 23/24 Texas A&M. USC would rebound with a 71-51 road win at UT Arlington three days later to wrap the nonconference slate with a 10-1 record. In College Station, USC had a Texas native, freshman Desiree Caldwell, come through as the only Trojan in double digits, while Minyon Moore served up 10 assists for the Trojan cause. Tagged with 14 fouls in each half, the Trojans worked hard to fight through their foul trouble. They were largely successful in the first half, thanks to freshman reinforcements from Desiree Caldwell and Jillian Archer, who scored nine points in USC's 11-0 surge to end the first half on top, 32-28. In the second half, however, Texas A&M heated up while USC cooled. The Aggies would finish out the game at 41 percent from the floor, while USC's 41-percent first-half effort slumped to a final 27.9 percent in the game. Texas A&M also won out on the boards 46-35. USC's 28 fouls helped Texas A&M toward a 22-of-31 effort from the free-throw line. The Aggies where whistled for 17 fouls, and USC shot 8-of-12 from the stripe. The Trojans received a career-high and team-high 10 points from Caldwell, while Minyon Moore dished out a season-high 10 assists for USC. That bumps the junior up to rank No. 11 all-time in career assists at USC, now with 344 to her name. For Texas A&M, Kayla Wells led all with 26 points, and Chennedy Carter had 23, including a 12-of-13 outing from the free-throw line. Carter also had 11 rebounds, while N'dea Jones pulled in 17 boards for the Aggies. Three days later in Arlington, USC turned a late tie into a decisive victory with a late hot spurt that carried the Trojans to a 73-61 victory. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Mariya Moore proved the late-game dagger, as USC notched its 10th win of the season. USC and UT Arlington were neck-and-neck at halftime, and it largely stayed that way until the Trojans made their late winning move. The Lady Mavericks were more accurate from the floor on the day, going 48 percent overall to outpace USC's 39.6 percent, but the Trojans nailed six 3-pointers — three by Mariya Moore — and went 25-of-36 from the free-throw line in a successful effort to get to the stripe. UTA was 10-of-14 from the line. USC also wound up ahead on the boards 33-32, and gathered up 13 steals while UTA committed 22 turnovers. USC had three Trojans in double digits, with Minyon Moore a perfect 6-of-6  the stripe while finishing up with a game-high 15 points to go with six assists and five steals. Mariya Moore scored 14 points and dished out three assists. Also hitting double figures on the day was Aliyah Mazyck, who had 13 points to go with a team-high seven rebounds. UTA received 14 points from Terryn Milton and 10 from Misty Dossey.
SCOUTING UCLAÂ Â Â
The Bruins are 6-5 overall after a 78-47 road win over UIC in their final nonconference game.  Michaela Onyenwere leads UCLA with 15.4 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. In series records dating back to 1971, USC is 48-46 all-time against UCLA with losses in the last four meetings. USC's last win was a 71-68 decision at the Galen Center on Jan. 10, 2016. Last season, UCLA beat USC 59-46 in Westwod and 84-70 at Galen Center.
INJURY REPORTÂ Â Â
Aliyah Mazyck (ankle) and Kayla Overbeck (knee) missed USC's Nov. 23 game vs. Utah State due to injury.  Mazyck and Minyon Moore (wrist) were sidelined by injury on Nov. 25 at Nevada. Mazyck also sat out the Dec. 1 game at UNLV.
SEASON OPENERÂ Â Â
USC's season opener was highlighted by debut performances from six new Trojans. Competing for USC for the first time, all six Trojans scored in a 73-55 win over visiting UC Riverside. A relative veteran at Troy, junior Minyon Moore led the way with a double-double — the fifth of her USC career — on a team-high 16 points and 12 rebounds to go with seven assists, as USC opened the 2018-19 campaign with a 1-0 mark. USC gripped a 12-point lead during the first half, but it would melt away as UC Riverside battled back to level it at 30-30 by halftime. That's when the Trojans turned the tide. USC outscored the Highlanders 27-12 in the third quarter to open things up, and the Trojans finished out the game shooting 44.6 percent from the floor to outpace UC Riverside's 38.3 outing. USC also outrebounded its visitors, 37-30, and went 50 percent from beyond the arc (10-of-20). One rebound shy of double digits at halftime, Minyon Moore collected three more in the second half while pumping out 12 second-half points. The first Trojan to hit double digits in the game, however, was senior transfer Mariya Moore, who shined in her Trojan debut with 11 points with three 3-pointers landed. Joining the 3-point parade for USC were two more Women of Troy hitting the court for the first time. Senior transfer Cheyanne Wallace went 2-for-2 from long distance, while redshirt freshman Shalexxus Aaron also tallied two treys in her first USC action. Junior transfer Kayla Overbeck may not have spotted up from beyond the arc, but she made her presence known down low, dumping in 10 points as she, too, hit the floor as a Trojan for the first time. Another newcomer to the paint at USC was freshman Jillian Archer, who provided five points on the night. True freshman guard Deisree Caldwell, meanwhile, had two points and two steals in her USC debut. In all, every USC player who got in the game would score in the victory. Junior Ja'Tavia Tapley was just short of double digits in finishing with nine points. Back in action after redshirting last season with injury was redshirt sophomore Asiah Jones, who had four points along with five boards.
CULTURE SHIFTÂ Â Â Â
As the Women of Troy enter a new season of action, the energy and excitement generated by USC's combination of Trojan veterans and fresh faces is palpable. Along with the return of Pac-12 honorees Aliyah Mazyck and Minyon Moore, there are six Women of Troy who will be seeing their first game action in a USC jersey this year. Transfers Mariya Moore, Kayla Overbeck and Cheyanne Wallace are three of those six Women of Troy set to log their first minutes at USC. Shalexxus Aaron, meanwhile, is finally off the sidelines and in full force after sitting out the 2017-18 season with injury, and adds a deft shooting hand to the back court. The other two newbies are true freshmen. Forward Jillian Archer and guard Desiree Caldwell are USC's two true freshmen this season.Â
SENIOR STRENGTHÂ Â Â
USC's senior class offers a window into the new formula that head coach Mark Trakh is working with this season — a blend of players with diverse talents and diverse experience. Aliyah Mazyck is USC's record-holder for single-season 3-pointers made and is coming off a junior season where she averaged 16.5 points per game. She and fellow senior Marguerite Effa enter their fourth and final seasons at USC, standing out as the vets of the group. Seniors Mariya Moore and Cheyanne Wallace, meanwhile, bring another angle of experience to the picture. Moore was a decorated player at Louisville, then transferred to USC last season. This year will mark her first game action as a Trojan. Wallace also opted to change course to USC, coming across town from Loyola Marymount to get in the mix this season as a grad transfer.Â
POWER AT THE POSTÂ Â Â
USC has two standout juniors lined up for duty as veterans on the post. Ja'Tavia Tapley was the sixth man last year, and her 6-3 frame and incredible athleticism will be back for more this season. Newly crowned for her junior season at USC is Vanderbilt transfer Kayla Overbeck, whose waiver to compete immediately as a Trojan was granted by the NCAA. An All-SEC honoree as a freshman, Overbeck adds yet another valuable depth charge to the post for USC this season. Redshirt sophomore Asiah Jones also is back in the lineup after a year sidelined by injury, and the athletic post brings length and serious leaping ability to the paint for the Trojans. Also returning down low is redshirt junior Danijela Milisic.
MAZYCK MAKES THE LISTÂ Â Â
USC senior Aliyah Mazyck's notable junior season has attracted national attention, as she has been selected as one of the country's top 20 shooting guards recognized on the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Preseason Watch List. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced the list today (Oct. 23). A finalist for the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year last year, Mazyck was a 2018 Pac-12 All-Defensive Team and All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention pick as a junior. That year, the Charlotte, N.C., native set a USC single-season record with 86 threes made. A full-time starter, she averaged 16.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game. Now a senior captain for the Women of Troy, Mazyck has stepped into a leadership role that will help the speedster's upward trajectory on the Pac-12 and the national radars this season.  Named after the first player, male or female, named to the All-America Team in four straight college seasons, the annual Ann Meyers Drysdale Award — in its second year — recognizes the top shooting guard in women's NCAA Division I college basketball.
MARIYA ON NAISMITH WATCH LISTÂ Â Â
As USC senior Mariya Moore sets up for her first and final season of competition with the Women of Troy, the talented guard has earned national acclaim as one of 50 women's basketball players selected to the Citizen Naismith Trophy Watch List. A transfer from Louisville last year, Moore sat out the 2017-18 season due to NCAA transfer rules. Now active with the Women of Troy, Moore has hit double digits in both of USC's opening games, averaging 12.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game to go along with five 3-pointers landed and seven assists made in USC's 2-0 start to the season. At Louisville, Moore earned 2016 WBCA All-America Honorable Mention, was a 2016 All-ACC First Team honoree and a 2015 and 2017 All-ACC Second Team selection. The Citizen Naismith Trophy Watch List was released today (Nov. 12) by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. In February, a midseason 30 list will be release, followed by 10 semifinalists for the award to be named on March 4, 2019. Four finalists will be revealed on March 22, with the winner of the 2019 Citizen Naismith Trophy for Women's Player of the Year to be announced on April 6, 2019. The last USC player to be named to a Naismith Watch List was Cassie Harberts in 2013-14. Prior to Harberts, Jacki Gemelos and Briana Gilbreath were both selected to the Naismith Early Season Watch List at the start of the 2011-12 season. In 2006-07, Shay Murphy was on the preseason watch list, and Ebony Hoffman was a preseason candidate in 2002-03. USC already boasts two Naismith Trophy winners in three-time honoree Cheryl Miller (1984, 1985, 1986) and Lisa Leslie (1994).
LAST SEASONÂ Â Â
USC finished up the 2017-18 season with a 20-11 overall record in head coach Mark Trakh's return to the helm of the program. In Pac-12 play, USC finished in seventh place at 7-7 and fell in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament.  Senior Kristen Simon picked up a place on the All-Pac-12 Team, while junior Aliyah Mazyck earned All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention and was a finalist for Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. She and sophomore Minyon Moore both landed on the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team. Along the way, Mazyck also set a new USC record for single-season 3-pointers made with 86.
CLEAR BAGS, PLEASE!  Â
At Galen Center, the safety of our guests is of paramount importance.  With that in mind, beginning January 1, 2018, Galen Center has implemented enhanced security measures including a clear bag policy. To review the policy and to ensure you come to your next event at Galen Center fully prepared please go to: www.galencenter.org/assets/img/Clear-Bag-Policy-0b9d0e3076.jpg.  Thank you and Fight On!
Â
Pac-12 play is officially underway this week, as USC kicks off conference action with a rivalry matchup against UCLA. The Trojans (10-1) host the Bruins (6-5) at 2 p.m. on Sunday (Dec. 30) at Galen Center in a clash that will be televised on Pac-12 Network and Pac-12 Los Angeles, with Roxy Bernstein and Tammy Blackburn on the call.
IN THE NATION
USC is receiving votes in the latest AP and USA Today Coaches polls. On Dec. 18, USC climbed into the USA Today Coaches rankings, weighing in at No. 25 in the land last week. It was USC's first time back in the rankings since the final AP poll of the 2013-14 season, which had USC at No. 25. The Trojans' last appearance in the USA Today poll jad been Nov. 15, 2011, at No. 22.Â
LAST ACTIONÂ Â Â
USC came up with a road split before the holiday break, taking its first loss of the season in the Trojans' first face-off with a ranked opponent with a 71-51 defeat at No. 23/24 Texas A&M. USC would rebound with a 71-51 road win at UT Arlington three days later to wrap the nonconference slate with a 10-1 record. In College Station, USC had a Texas native, freshman Desiree Caldwell, come through as the only Trojan in double digits, while Minyon Moore served up 10 assists for the Trojan cause. Tagged with 14 fouls in each half, the Trojans worked hard to fight through their foul trouble. They were largely successful in the first half, thanks to freshman reinforcements from Desiree Caldwell and Jillian Archer, who scored nine points in USC's 11-0 surge to end the first half on top, 32-28. In the second half, however, Texas A&M heated up while USC cooled. The Aggies would finish out the game at 41 percent from the floor, while USC's 41-percent first-half effort slumped to a final 27.9 percent in the game. Texas A&M also won out on the boards 46-35. USC's 28 fouls helped Texas A&M toward a 22-of-31 effort from the free-throw line. The Aggies where whistled for 17 fouls, and USC shot 8-of-12 from the stripe. The Trojans received a career-high and team-high 10 points from Caldwell, while Minyon Moore dished out a season-high 10 assists for USC. That bumps the junior up to rank No. 11 all-time in career assists at USC, now with 344 to her name. For Texas A&M, Kayla Wells led all with 26 points, and Chennedy Carter had 23, including a 12-of-13 outing from the free-throw line. Carter also had 11 rebounds, while N'dea Jones pulled in 17 boards for the Aggies. Three days later in Arlington, USC turned a late tie into a decisive victory with a late hot spurt that carried the Trojans to a 73-61 victory. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Mariya Moore proved the late-game dagger, as USC notched its 10th win of the season. USC and UT Arlington were neck-and-neck at halftime, and it largely stayed that way until the Trojans made their late winning move. The Lady Mavericks were more accurate from the floor on the day, going 48 percent overall to outpace USC's 39.6 percent, but the Trojans nailed six 3-pointers — three by Mariya Moore — and went 25-of-36 from the free-throw line in a successful effort to get to the stripe. UTA was 10-of-14 from the line. USC also wound up ahead on the boards 33-32, and gathered up 13 steals while UTA committed 22 turnovers. USC had three Trojans in double digits, with Minyon Moore a perfect 6-of-6  the stripe while finishing up with a game-high 15 points to go with six assists and five steals. Mariya Moore scored 14 points and dished out three assists. Also hitting double figures on the day was Aliyah Mazyck, who had 13 points to go with a team-high seven rebounds. UTA received 14 points from Terryn Milton and 10 from Misty Dossey.
SCOUTING UCLAÂ Â Â
The Bruins are 6-5 overall after a 78-47 road win over UIC in their final nonconference game.  Michaela Onyenwere leads UCLA with 15.4 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. In series records dating back to 1971, USC is 48-46 all-time against UCLA with losses in the last four meetings. USC's last win was a 71-68 decision at the Galen Center on Jan. 10, 2016. Last season, UCLA beat USC 59-46 in Westwod and 84-70 at Galen Center.
INJURY REPORTÂ Â Â
Aliyah Mazyck (ankle) and Kayla Overbeck (knee) missed USC's Nov. 23 game vs. Utah State due to injury.  Mazyck and Minyon Moore (wrist) were sidelined by injury on Nov. 25 at Nevada. Mazyck also sat out the Dec. 1 game at UNLV.
SEASON OPENERÂ Â Â
USC's season opener was highlighted by debut performances from six new Trojans. Competing for USC for the first time, all six Trojans scored in a 73-55 win over visiting UC Riverside. A relative veteran at Troy, junior Minyon Moore led the way with a double-double — the fifth of her USC career — on a team-high 16 points and 12 rebounds to go with seven assists, as USC opened the 2018-19 campaign with a 1-0 mark. USC gripped a 12-point lead during the first half, but it would melt away as UC Riverside battled back to level it at 30-30 by halftime. That's when the Trojans turned the tide. USC outscored the Highlanders 27-12 in the third quarter to open things up, and the Trojans finished out the game shooting 44.6 percent from the floor to outpace UC Riverside's 38.3 outing. USC also outrebounded its visitors, 37-30, and went 50 percent from beyond the arc (10-of-20). One rebound shy of double digits at halftime, Minyon Moore collected three more in the second half while pumping out 12 second-half points. The first Trojan to hit double digits in the game, however, was senior transfer Mariya Moore, who shined in her Trojan debut with 11 points with three 3-pointers landed. Joining the 3-point parade for USC were two more Women of Troy hitting the court for the first time. Senior transfer Cheyanne Wallace went 2-for-2 from long distance, while redshirt freshman Shalexxus Aaron also tallied two treys in her first USC action. Junior transfer Kayla Overbeck may not have spotted up from beyond the arc, but she made her presence known down low, dumping in 10 points as she, too, hit the floor as a Trojan for the first time. Another newcomer to the paint at USC was freshman Jillian Archer, who provided five points on the night. True freshman guard Deisree Caldwell, meanwhile, had two points and two steals in her USC debut. In all, every USC player who got in the game would score in the victory. Junior Ja'Tavia Tapley was just short of double digits in finishing with nine points. Back in action after redshirting last season with injury was redshirt sophomore Asiah Jones, who had four points along with five boards.
CULTURE SHIFTÂ Â Â Â
As the Women of Troy enter a new season of action, the energy and excitement generated by USC's combination of Trojan veterans and fresh faces is palpable. Along with the return of Pac-12 honorees Aliyah Mazyck and Minyon Moore, there are six Women of Troy who will be seeing their first game action in a USC jersey this year. Transfers Mariya Moore, Kayla Overbeck and Cheyanne Wallace are three of those six Women of Troy set to log their first minutes at USC. Shalexxus Aaron, meanwhile, is finally off the sidelines and in full force after sitting out the 2017-18 season with injury, and adds a deft shooting hand to the back court. The other two newbies are true freshmen. Forward Jillian Archer and guard Desiree Caldwell are USC's two true freshmen this season.Â
SENIOR STRENGTHÂ Â Â
USC's senior class offers a window into the new formula that head coach Mark Trakh is working with this season — a blend of players with diverse talents and diverse experience. Aliyah Mazyck is USC's record-holder for single-season 3-pointers made and is coming off a junior season where she averaged 16.5 points per game. She and fellow senior Marguerite Effa enter their fourth and final seasons at USC, standing out as the vets of the group. Seniors Mariya Moore and Cheyanne Wallace, meanwhile, bring another angle of experience to the picture. Moore was a decorated player at Louisville, then transferred to USC last season. This year will mark her first game action as a Trojan. Wallace also opted to change course to USC, coming across town from Loyola Marymount to get in the mix this season as a grad transfer.Â
POWER AT THE POSTÂ Â Â
USC has two standout juniors lined up for duty as veterans on the post. Ja'Tavia Tapley was the sixth man last year, and her 6-3 frame and incredible athleticism will be back for more this season. Newly crowned for her junior season at USC is Vanderbilt transfer Kayla Overbeck, whose waiver to compete immediately as a Trojan was granted by the NCAA. An All-SEC honoree as a freshman, Overbeck adds yet another valuable depth charge to the post for USC this season. Redshirt sophomore Asiah Jones also is back in the lineup after a year sidelined by injury, and the athletic post brings length and serious leaping ability to the paint for the Trojans. Also returning down low is redshirt junior Danijela Milisic.
MAZYCK MAKES THE LISTÂ Â Â
USC senior Aliyah Mazyck's notable junior season has attracted national attention, as she has been selected as one of the country's top 20 shooting guards recognized on the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Preseason Watch List. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced the list today (Oct. 23). A finalist for the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year last year, Mazyck was a 2018 Pac-12 All-Defensive Team and All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention pick as a junior. That year, the Charlotte, N.C., native set a USC single-season record with 86 threes made. A full-time starter, she averaged 16.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game. Now a senior captain for the Women of Troy, Mazyck has stepped into a leadership role that will help the speedster's upward trajectory on the Pac-12 and the national radars this season.  Named after the first player, male or female, named to the All-America Team in four straight college seasons, the annual Ann Meyers Drysdale Award — in its second year — recognizes the top shooting guard in women's NCAA Division I college basketball.
MARIYA ON NAISMITH WATCH LISTÂ Â Â
As USC senior Mariya Moore sets up for her first and final season of competition with the Women of Troy, the talented guard has earned national acclaim as one of 50 women's basketball players selected to the Citizen Naismith Trophy Watch List. A transfer from Louisville last year, Moore sat out the 2017-18 season due to NCAA transfer rules. Now active with the Women of Troy, Moore has hit double digits in both of USC's opening games, averaging 12.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game to go along with five 3-pointers landed and seven assists made in USC's 2-0 start to the season. At Louisville, Moore earned 2016 WBCA All-America Honorable Mention, was a 2016 All-ACC First Team honoree and a 2015 and 2017 All-ACC Second Team selection. The Citizen Naismith Trophy Watch List was released today (Nov. 12) by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. In February, a midseason 30 list will be release, followed by 10 semifinalists for the award to be named on March 4, 2019. Four finalists will be revealed on March 22, with the winner of the 2019 Citizen Naismith Trophy for Women's Player of the Year to be announced on April 6, 2019. The last USC player to be named to a Naismith Watch List was Cassie Harberts in 2013-14. Prior to Harberts, Jacki Gemelos and Briana Gilbreath were both selected to the Naismith Early Season Watch List at the start of the 2011-12 season. In 2006-07, Shay Murphy was on the preseason watch list, and Ebony Hoffman was a preseason candidate in 2002-03. USC already boasts two Naismith Trophy winners in three-time honoree Cheryl Miller (1984, 1985, 1986) and Lisa Leslie (1994).
LAST SEASONÂ Â Â
USC finished up the 2017-18 season with a 20-11 overall record in head coach Mark Trakh's return to the helm of the program. In Pac-12 play, USC finished in seventh place at 7-7 and fell in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament.  Senior Kristen Simon picked up a place on the All-Pac-12 Team, while junior Aliyah Mazyck earned All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention and was a finalist for Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. She and sophomore Minyon Moore both landed on the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team. Along the way, Mazyck also set a new USC record for single-season 3-pointers made with 86.
CLEAR BAGS, PLEASE!  Â
At Galen Center, the safety of our guests is of paramount importance.  With that in mind, beginning January 1, 2018, Galen Center has implemented enhanced security measures including a clear bag policy. To review the policy and to ensure you come to your next event at Galen Center fully prepared please go to: www.galencenter.org/assets/img/Clear-Bag-Policy-0b9d0e3076.jpg.  Thank you and Fight On!
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