Northwestern Beats USC Women, 70-63

Michelle Savage had 16 points and 11 rebounds to lead No. 14 Northwestern past USC, 70-63, Saturday in the championship game of the Roger L. White Invitational women’s basketball tournament at Evanston, Ill.

No. 24 USC (2-1) trailed at halftime, 33-24, but got to within 41-39 on a basket by freshman Lisa Leslie with 14:03 left. But the Wildcats (2-0) went on a 7-0 run, and the Trojans never got close again.

Leslie had 18 points and 10 rebounds in 23 minutes but sat out the last 12 minutes of the first half after picking up her second foul.

Kim Gessig added 16 points and nine rebounds for the Trojans.