USC Gets Defensive in Another Victory

It’s early in the season, but the USC women have already learned a concept that applies to any sport: Play defense the whole game no matter how your offense is doing and you can still have good results.

The concept worked again Saturday as the Trojans battled their way to a 55-48 victory over New Mexico before 356 at the Sports Arena, a crowd made minuscule by the afternoon USC-UCLA football game in Pasadena.

Even with minimum fan support, USC improved to 3-1, overcoming a 40-34 deficit by holding the Lobos to eight points in the final 7:29.

Ebony Hoffman paced USC with 18 points. Jessica Cheeks had 15 and Rachel Woodward added 11. While the Trojans again struggled from the field, shooting under 40% for the third consecutive game, they had 18 steals and forced 31 turnovers. New Mexico center Jordan Adams led all scorers with 21 points.

Now as the Trojans move into the teeth of a difficult nonconference schedule, starting Friday with Notre Dame, Coach Chris Gobrecht knows her team has to do more than just stop teams.

“Defense is carrying us right now,” Gobrecht said. “But we’ve started a pattern I’m not real comfortable with, struggling to get in gear and [playing well] down the stretch. I think part of it is we were concerned about the number of early games we’d have, and the team has been pacing itself a bit. Now past [the WNIT] we can get after it the whole time.”

-- Mike Terry

Hawaii 70, UCLA 66 -- The Rainbow Wahine shot 52% (22 of 42) from the field and made 25 of 36 free throws to win a season opener over the Bruins in the Waikiki Beach Marriott Classic in Honolulu.

UCLA, which led, 31-30, at halftime, shot 34% from the field in the second half and 38% (27 of 71) for the game. Michelle Greco, who made all six of her free throws, led the Bruins with 20 points, but she made only seven of 22 shots.

Lisa Willis came off the bench to score 18 points on seven-for-10 shooting for UCLA. She made three of her four three-point shots.

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In top 25 games:

Leslie Logsdon had 18 points and Shala Reese finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds for Western Kentucky (1-0), which upset No. 10 Louisiana Tech, 71-57, at Bowling Green, Ky. Erica Smith had 10 points and three rebounds to lead Louisiana Tech (1-1).... Jenni Benningfield had 16 points and 13 rebounds as No. 11 Vanderbilt (1-0) gave new Coach Melanie Balcomb a 68-51 victory over host Boston (0-1).... Lindsay Whalen had 23 points and nine assists as No. 16 Minnesota (1-0) set a school scoring record in a 116-73 victory over Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne (0-1) in the Subway Basketball Classic in Minneapolis.... India Lewis scored 19 points and Shameka Christon added 18 in No. 17 Arkansas’ 78-54 victory over Stephen F. Austin in a season opener at Fayetteville, Ark.... Caton Hill had 17 points and 13 rebounds to lead No. 23 Oklahoma (1-1) to a 70-42 win over Oral Roberts (1-1) in the Bertha Teague Classic in Tulsa, Okla.