WOMEN’S BASKETBALL : USC Coasts, Will Face Iowa in Final

LOS ANGELES — USC’s unbeaten women’s basketball team ran off to its sixth straight victory Wednesday night, setting up a confrontation tonight at Lyon Center with No. 2-ranked Iowa in the title game of the Trojans’ Christmas Tournament.

Iowa (6-0) beat Houston earlier in the tournament opener, 59-44.

Then USC, in probably its best showing yet, and Lisa Leslie in her best outing, defeated Western Michigan, 88-62.

Leslie, the 6-foot-5 senior All-American, was all but unstoppable. In 30 minutes, she had 25 points (20 in the first half) on 11-of-13 shooting, 11 rebounds and two blocks.

USC played a mobile zone defense that accounted for Western Michigan’s 33.3% shooting percentage. USC shot 60.9%, marksmanship improved by repeated second-half steals and fast breaks.