Arizona Daily Wildcat
Another Top 25 team, another loss.
For the sixth time this season, the Arizona women's basketball team lost to a ranked school. This time, it was No. 24 Southern Cal.
The Wildcats (7-9 overall, 2-2 in the Pacific 10 Conference) needed a victory in order to stay in the upper echelon of the Pac-10, but suffered an 85-54 loss at the hands of the Trojans last night at the Lyon Center on the USC campus.
Leading USC was sophomore forward Tina Thompson, who scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds, and center Rashida Jeffery, who pitched in 11 points and six rebounds. Michelle Campbell also contributed 11 points and four blocks off the bench for the Trojans.
"(They) were really a force inside, and they helped USC open up their inside game," UA coach Joan Bonvicini said. "We just really got outhustled and outworked tonight.
"Thompson, Jeffery and Campbell blocked some shots just when we were getting back into it that left our posts second-guessing themselves."
For Bonvicini's Wildcats, it was the second game in a row that they were plagued with poor shooting Ä they shot 23.5 percent from the floor in the second half.
UA junior transfer Atina Harris missed all nine shots that she took. Freshman guard DeAngela Minter also had another off night and made only 1-of-7 shots. And freshman center Marte Alexander, who has not played since early December because of a foot injury, went 0-for-4 on the night.
The only bright spots for the UA were JiJi Sweet (17 points, two assists), Brenda Pantoja (11 points, four assists) and Adia Barnes (11 points, three steals).
"Our team is young and we lose our confidence quickly," Bonvicini said. "From there, USC was able to go on a run and make easy layups."
Arizona has a chance to salvage a split in L.A. if it can beat UCLA tomorrow in Westwood. The game tips off at 3 p.m. local time.