USC Comes Up Short

Stacy Stephens scored 16 points and Texas beat USC, 66-64, Sunday to win the Paradise Jam tournament at St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.

The Longhorns (3-0) led, 56-43, with 7:27 left before USC rallied behind Ebony Hoffman. Hoffman, who sat out much of the second half because of foul trouble, helped the Trojans (2-3) take a 59-58 lead on her free throw with 3:06 left, but they could not hold it.

In the final seconds, Texas’ Kenya Larin sank one of two free throws, and USC regained possession with eight seconds left but the Trojans’ Jessica Cheeks missed two shots before the buzzer.

Stephens was voted the tournament’s most valuable player. Heather Schreiber added 13 points and Colenica Reed 10 for Texas.

Aisha Hollans scored 14 points, and Cheeks had 10 for USC.

South Carolina 87, No. 9 Duke 81--Reserve Kelly Morrone had a career-high 27 points, and Shaunzinski Gortman scored 11 of her 25 points in overtime as the Gamecocks (4-0) upset the Blue Devils (3-2) in the championship game of the Duke Women’s Basketball Classic at Durham, N.C.

It was Duke’s first home loss to a nonconference opponent since falling, 77-70, to Boston College in the preseason WNIT on Nov. 17, 1999.

No. 4 Vanderbilt 98, Dartmouth 62--Chantelle Anderson scored 23 points as the Commodores (6-1) Vanderbilt won the championship game of the First Tennessee Classic at Nashville. Dartmouth fell to 3-1.

No. 11 Purdue 80, S. Mississippi 40--Beth Jones scored 22 points, and the Boilermakers made 11 three-point shots in a victory at West Lafayette, Ind.

Purdue (3-1) played the final 13:14 without Shereka Wright. Purdue’s leading scorer had to be helped off the court after twisting her right ankle in a three-player collision. The Eagles fell to 0-3.

No. 23 Wisconsin 61, No. 12 Florida 49--Jesse Stomski had 17 points and Emily Ashbaugh added 10 to lead the Badgers (2-1) to an upset victory in the Paradise Jam tournament at St. Thomas. Florida is 2-2.

No. 13 Baylor 65, Denver 60--Sheila Lambert scored 19 points, and Danielle Crockrom had 17 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Bears (4-0) at Waco, Texas. Denver fell to 2-1.

No. 19 Michigan 84, Syracuse 76--Alayne Ingram scored 25 points at Syracuse, N.Y. Stephanie Gandy added 14 points, and LeeAnn Bies 12 points for Michigan (3-1). Shannon Perry led Syracuse (3-1) with 19 points.

No. 21 Arizona State 76, Kansas State 58--Amanda Levens scored 29 points and the Sun Devils beat Kansas State in the Paradise Jam tournament at St. Thomas.

Kansas State fell to 3-1.