Colorado Rallies Past USC, 69-67

There are a couple of basketball lessons USC continues to be taught but can’t seem to learn.

It takes two halves to play a complete game. And when you have a team down, don’t let it back up.

The Trojans played one good half against No. 14-ranked Colorado Saturday and led the Buffaloes by 12 points at halftime. But the Trojans couldn’t finish the job and wound up losing, 69-67, before 1,135 at the Sports Arena.

Colorado center Tera Bjorklund scored 15 of her game-high 19 points in the second half to rally the Buffaloes (8-1) past the Trojans (3-4). USC got 13 points each from Ebony Hoffman and Eshaya Murphy, plus scoring from 10 players.

“We were out-toughed today,” said Gobrecht, after USC followed up 50% shooting (16 of 32) in the first half with 29.6% shooting (eight of 27) in the second half.

“That experience, toughness and leadership showed [in the second half]. We let that team come and take the game out of our hands.

“Our young kids did good things for us in the first half, but in the second half they looked like freshmen. Ultimately it’s the older kids on this team who will have to decide what this season means to them and what they’re going to do about it.”

After a slow start -- trailing, 9-5, after six minutes -- the Trojan defense began clogging the passing lanes and forcing bad shots. Colorado was rattled into 14 turnovers.

On offense, USC got some unexpected production in that first half from its bench, with Murphy scoring 10 of her points and Chloe Kerr getting all six of her points to complement Hoffman.

But it was a different Colorado squad in the second half. The Buffaloes rediscovered how to throw over the top of the USC defense to get easy layups for Bjorklund.

USC’s offense lost the rhythm that it had established in the first half and couldn’t do much to counter a 26-12 run by Colorado, which put the Buffaloes on top, 53-51, with 8:54 left to play.

Although USC did not get the lead back, the Trojans had possession with 12 seconds left and a chance to force overtime. Rometra Craig got a shot as the clock expired, but the ball rolled off the rim.