Pac-12 Women’s Tournament: USC advances, UCLA is knocked out

Ariya Crook scored 19 points, including three free throws in the final 30 seconds, as the fifth-seeded USC women defeated 12th-seeded Arizona, 59-54, in the first round of the Pac-12 Conference tournament on Thursday at Seattle.

Carissa Crutchfield made a three-pointer with 7:41 to play, pulling Arizona within three, 52-49, but the Wildcats made only one of eight field goals the rest of the way and USC (19-12) held on for the win.

The Trojans will play fourth-seeded Arizona State in the quarterfinals Friday.

Alexyz Vaioletama pulled down 12 rebounds and Cassie Harberts grabbed 11 for USC, which outrebounded Arizona, 41-30, including 12-4 on the offensive glass. Kama Griffitts paced the Wildcats (5-25) with 13 points and seven rebounds.

Colorado 76, UCLA 65: Brittany Wilson scored 17 points and her late steal may have blunted a last rally by the Bruins (13-18). The Buffaloes (17-13) will play top-seeded Stanford on Friday in the quarterfinals.

In a game of streaks, UCLA scored six unanswered points in just over a minute, cutting a 12-point gap in half. Colorado’s Lexy Kresl sank two from the line and on UCLA’s next possession Wilson stole the ball from the hot-shooting Nirra Fields with 1:03 to play. Wilson was fouled and made two free throws as the lead grew back to 10 at 72-62 with 1:02 left.

Fields scored 24 points to lead UCLA, with Atonye Nyingifa adding 13 and Madeline Brooks 12.