Leslie Leads USC Women Past San Diego State, 68-54

Neither coach will likely want to keep this one in her video file, but No. 21 USC defeated San Diego State, 68-54, in a nonconference women’s basketball game Tuesday in front of 1,539 in the Los Angeles Sports Arena.

“The first 20 minutes set the game back,” SDSU Coach Beth Burns said. “It was ugly basketball. It was almost scary it was still a game at halftime. We probably played the worst 20 minutes I’ve seen in years.”

SDSU guard Crystal Lee led all scorers with 25. Lisa Leslie, USC’s standout freshman, had 20 points and a game-high 23 rebounds. USC (3-1) out-rebounded the Aztecs, 65-44.

Leslie, you may remember, is the player who scored 101 points in a game last season for Morningside High in Inglewood. She entered Tuesday’s game averaging 30 points and 20 rebounds a game, which are the same numbers she had in her first college game, an 88-77 USC upset of then-No. 12 Texas Nov. 25.

It didn’t take her long to impress the Aztecs (2-2). She had 12 points and 11 rebounds in the first half.

USC took a 12-0 lead and held the Aztecs scoreless for nearly five minutes. Lee hit a driving shot from the lane with 15:07 remaining in the half to give the Aztecs their first bucket. Lee then scored SDSU’s next three baskets.

USC led at the half, 30-21, despite shooting only 32.5%. SDSU shot 26.5%.

“Overall, I thought we played consistently well on defense,” USC Coach Marianne Stanley said. “I think (SDSU) is going to beat a heck of a lot of people this year. I really do.”