Thompson Scores 49 Points to Lead USC Past UCLA

USC women’s basketball Coach Fred Williams gave his players a simple game plan for Saturday’s game against UCLA: Get Tina Thompson the ball, then get out of her way.

They did, and Thompson responded with one of the greatest offensive performances in the history of Pacific 10 Conference women’s basketball.

She scored 49 points--one short of the conference and school record--and USC buried UCLA, 96-77, at USC’s Lyon Center.

UCLA, coming off a comeback victory over Arizona last week, had hopes that any remaining momentum might end USC’s eight-game win streak in the series. But Thompson, a 6-foot-3 junior, carried the Trojans to their ninth consecutive victory over UCLA.

Not even Cheryl Miller had a game like this one.

Thompson was 16 for 22 from the field (four for six on three-point shots), was 13 for 13 from the free-throw line and had 15 rebounds.

Miller’s one-game high was 45 points. The conference and school record is 50, by Cherie Nelson in 1989.

Of Thompson, UCLA Coach Kathy Oliver said, “We knew she was a great player, but come on. . . . I think today she went from being one of the best players in the conference to one of the best in the country. She was scary.”

Thompson beat UCLA inside, outside and in between as the Trojans improved to 8-8 and 3-4 in the Pac-10.

In the game’s first 10 minutes she made three three-point baskets. She wound up with four by halftime, and 20 points.

The little crowd of 879 was on its feet during her furious stretch run, and afterward USC President Dr. Steven B. Sample and Athletic Director Mike Garrett congratulated Thompson.