Women’s Basketball Roundup : Maryland Rallies to Beat USC, 81-67

The USC women’s basketball team became Maryland’s second straight Southland victim, losing, 81-67, Friday night before a crowd of 650 at Loyola Marymount.

The Trojans had to play at Loyola because the Sports Arena was booked. Maryland, which also came back to defeat Cal State Long Beach Tuesday night at Long Beach, 76-72, spotted the Trojans (4-5) a 50-39 second-half lead before outscoring the Trojans, 24-6, to take a 63-56 lead.

While the No. 8-ranked Terrapins (7-1) came alive behind the shooting of guard Deanna Tate, who scored 17 of her team-leading 21 points in the second half, and guard Carla Holmes, who finished with 20 points, USC went more than 9 minutes without scoring.

Trojan All-American candidate Cherie Nelson scored 21 points in the first half but was held to 6 in the second half.

“We were not patient in the second half,” USC Coach Linda Sharp said. “We were standing around and not getting back on defense, which is a sign of a very young team.”

Sharp praised Wendy Brown, who finished with 10 points, saying: “Wendy was the only player to play well on both ends of the court.” Brown, a senior, was a 1988 Olympian in the heptathlon.

Ohio State rallied in the second half to deal UCLA’s women’s basketball team its fourth straight defeat, 63-46, at Pauley Pavilion.

After falling behind at halftime, 24-20, the Buckeyes outscored the Bruins, 31-11, to take a 51-35 lead.

Senior guard Lisa Cline of Ohio State (7-3) scored a game-high 24 points, and senior forward Nikita Lowry got 16 points and 9 rebounds. Junior forward Michele Wootton led the Bruins (3-6) with 12 points and 7 rebounds.