USC Beats Texas Southern 77-45 at the Galen Center

USC Trojans #13 Rayah Marshall (G/F) scored 16-points against the Texas Southern Tigers' defense at the Galen Center. Photo by Chanel Foster/T.G.Sportstv1.

12/18/21 LOS ANGELES, CA - The USC Trojans led in scoring by Rayah Marshall's 16-points, Jordan Sanders's 14-points, and Jordyn Jenkin's 12-points beat the Texas Southern Tigers 77-45 at the Galen Center.

Adriana Avent's layup gave Texas Southern a 2-0 lead in the first quarter. USC went on an 8-2 run to lead 8-4 after a layup by Alissa Pili. The Tigers trail the Trojans 8-6 after a layup by Amaz Carmichael.

Jordan Sanders made back-to-back three-point baskets to give the Trojans a 14-6 lead. Sanders made another three-pointer to increase USC's lead to 19-6. Jordyn Jenkins' layup gave the Trojans a 23-8 lead at the end of the quarter.

Texas Southern Tigers #21Jada Perry (F) jump shot from the right side of the basket at the Galen Center. Photo by Chanel Foster/T.G.Sportstv1.

USC led 25-8 in the second quarter with a jump shot by Desiree Cadwell. Texas Southern trail 25-10 with a jump shot by Jada Perry.

Clarice Akunwato made two free throws that gave the Trojans a 29-13 lead with 6:50 left before halftime. The Tigers trail 29-15 after USC's Sanders was called for an intentional foul by the officials, and Avent made two free throws.

Rayah Marshall's layup gave the Trojans a twenty-one-point lead, 38-17 before halftime. The Trojans led 42-19 at halftime with a layup by Jenkins.

Sanders led the Trojans in scoring in the first half with 12-points, followed by Jenkins with 10-points. Ashley Austin had 7-points to lead the Tigers in scoring and Avent with 6-points.

Texas Southern committed twenty-one turnovers that led to 24-points for USC, and the Trojans had eight turnovers that led to 5 points for the Tigers.

The Trojans were leading in the third quarter,50-24, after a jump shot in the paint by Marshall. USC led Texas Southern at the end of the third quarter 57-28.

Jenkins' layup in the fourth quarter made the score 63-28. Avent's three-pointer had the Tigers down 73-41.

USC went on to beat Texas Southern 77-45 to improve their record to 7-3. Avent led the Tigers in scoring with 16-points and Ashley Austin with 9-points.

USC Trojans #32 Jordyn Jenkins (F) right-hand layup at the Galen Center. Photo by Chanel Foster/T.G.Sportstv1.

The Trojans dominated the paint, scoring 54-points, and their defense forced the Tigers to commit 31 turnovers which led to 36-points off the turnovers.

After the game, I asked the Trojans' head coach Lindsay Gottlieb what surprised her the most after playing ten games about her team and getting her team ready to open up Pac-12 Conference play at UCLA on December 28 at 6 PM.

"The different style of basketball that we can play with the size we have, half-court, pushing the ball up-tempo, pressure defense, and tonight we forced Texas Southern to commit 31 turnovers, but we can do a much better job of taking care of the basketball."

"Every game in the Pac-12 Conference is going to be tough, and I'm excited about this is going to be my first time to experience the rivalry between UCLA and USC to open our season."

Before USC plays UCLA, they first have to play next Tuesday on the road at the Pyramid against Long Beach State at 7 PM.