NCAA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL : Division I West Regional Semifinals : Despite Broken Finger, Miller Scores 28 to Lead USC, 84-70

USC got one of its best games of the season out of an injured Cheryl Miller Thursday night, to nobody’s great surprise. That sort of thing is expected from the four-time All American.

With Miller back in the lineup, top-seeded USC poured it on in the second half, beating the University of North Carolina, 84-70, before 2,150 in the Long Beach Sports Arena in the semifinals of the NCAA West Regional.

The Trojans (28-4) will play fourth-ranked Louisiana Tech in the championship game Saturday night.

As she has been throughout much of her career, Miller--playing with a broken ring finger on her left hand--was the spark for USC Thursday night.

The combination of a splint, tape and a bandage left only Miller’s small finger and thumb wriggling free. The contraption on her hand resembled a lumpy mitten, but Miller said it didn’t hinder her play. Guess not. She had a game-high 28 points and 15 rebounds.

“Considering the games I’ve sat out, I think I played pretty well,” Miller said. Miller did not play last Sunday against Montana.

Miller had thought the sitting out of one game. “Just might make me more hungry to play,” she said. Unfortunately for North Carolina, she changed her mind.

With 11:55 left in the game, the third-ranked Trojans went on the scoring spree that appeared to demoralize the Tar Heels. It started with Miller hitting a 12-foot jumper, then Cynthia Cooper scored off a steal by Rhonda Windham. At the end of that burst, USC had a 59-47 lead.

USC led by a much as eight on three occasions in the first half, but couldn’t shake North Carolina, mainly because of an effective fast break led 5-7 senior guard Pam Leake, who finished with 21 points.

“They scored well off their break in the first half,” USC Coach Linda Sharp said. “I was not happy with our offense.”

USC had looked to freshman Cherie Nelson to carry the load in the first half. A heavy load for a young player with nerve problems. When Nelson failed to show at a press luncheon last Monday, Sharp explained that Nelson had complained of an upset stomach. “I think she’s nervous,” Sharp said.

Nelson, though, gave the Tar Heels upset stomachs in the first half, making 6 of 8 free throws and scoring 10 points. She finished the game with 15 points.