With 4.4 seconds left, Oregon women’s basketball head coach Paul Westhead issued his directive: 5-4-1 and push it.
USC guard Ashley Corral had just hit two free throws to put the Women of Troy ahead, 87-84. Corral had been shaky in two previous visits to the line, making just two of four shots, but the Ducks still had to cross half court and hit a three-pointer to force overtime.
Forward Victoria Kenyon inbounded the ball to Jasmin Holliday, who was immediately pressured by USC forward Hailey Dunham. Holliday, under duress, lofted a pass to guard Nia Jackson, who had come forward to assist her teammate. Five to four to one.
The pass never made it. Christina Marinacci, running behind Jackson, jumped for the ball. Her 6-foot-1-inch frame stretched over the 5-foot-7-inch Jackson and knocked the ball in the air. Dunham came off Holliday to grab the ball, holding it aloft as the clock expired.
USC 87, Oregon 84.
“You try and analyze after a game, you see a lot of good things and a lot of breakdowns,” Westhead said. “Good thing, breakdown, good thing, breakdown. I guess that’s why it was a three-point game.
“We played well enough in some ways to win it, and yet we didn’t get it.”
When every possession counted, USC squeezed out more than the Ducks could. With 1:18 remaining, Kenyon fouled USC guard Briana Gilbreath in the act of shooting. Gilbreath made her first, but missed the second — when Marinacci secured one of the Women of Troy’s 12 offensive rebounds. Oregon clamped down and forced a 35-second violation on USC, but Taylor Lilley’s jump shot rimmed out.
“There were some offensive rebounds that they got on their end and some put-backs that probably hurt us,” Lilley said. “There were a couple of moments. But it was a back-and-forth battle.”
Jackson fouled Corral on USC’s next possession, with 16 seconds remaining, for two free-throw attempts. Corral made the first and missed the second, tipped out of bounds by Kenyon. Micaela Cocks then fouled Corral with 9.4 seconds remaining, where she made one of two.
Jackson traversed the length of the court undisturbed for an open layup. USC defenders focused on shooters positioned at the corners, but Jackson took the easy basket for an 85-84 deficit as opposed to an open three-point attempt.
“If you pick it and shoot the three, that’s fine. If you take it hard and fast to the rim, you get two, and we need another possession,” Westhead said. “We’re a full-court defensive team, so we have the capacity to get a five-second count or a turnover. We didn’t get that; therefore, we had to foul.”
Oregon found itself coming from behind for much of the night. Down 46-42 with 1:20 remaining in the first half, Holliday blocked a backcourt pass from USC guard Daniela Roark and made a layup. She followed it with a corner three-pointer to put the Ducks up 47-46 entering halftime.
The Women of Troy were undeterred by Oregon’s pressing defense and fast pace, coming out strong in the second half. The Ducks were down 68-61 with 11:08 remaining before a Lilley three-pointer sparked an offensive resurgence. Cocks hit a three-pointer with 2:45 remaining to put Oregon ahead, 82-80, but USC immediately followed with two free throws from Marinacci — who was fouled after an offensive rebound.
“I think that’s how it’s been all season. We catch up, tie it up and they go on a run. We just need to get over that hump,” Jackson said.
Corral led all scorers with 23 points, adding 12 assists and five rebounds. Gilbreath had 20 points for USC, who saw five women score in double figures.
Lilley led the Ducks with 22 points, six rebounds and five assists, and Cocks added 16 points, five rebounds and four assists.
Oregon kept the rebounding battle (30 to 34) and turnover battle (16 to 14) close, and shot 49.2 percent from the field. USC shot 47.7 percent from the field and hit 16 of its 22 free throw attempts.
“We played well enough to win,” Westhead said, “but we made enough errors where we didn’t win.”
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