Cushion Helps USC to Victory

Sixteen must be a magical number for USC. Whenever the Trojans get a lead that high, they can’t blow it no matter how hard they try.

The formula proved itself again Saturday in the quarterfinals of the Pacific 10 Conference tournament, as the fifth-seeded Trojans, who because of injuries had only eight available scholarship players, hung on to a 70-67 victory against the fourth-seeded Washington Huskies in the HP Pavilion.

On the strength of 21 points from Eshaya Murphy and 17 from Camille LeNoir -- and a potential tying three-pointer by Washington guard Emily Florence falling short as time expired -- USC (18-10) huffed and puffed into the semifinals where they will play top-seeded Stanford.

“I think 18 wins gets us into the [NCAA] tournament. I’d like to think it does,” said USC Coach Mark Trakh.

Washington (18-10) still holds out hope for an invite as well, even though the Huskies have lost three straight.

On Saturday the wounds were primarily self-inflicted. Despite 26 points from Cameo Hicks and 13 by Florence, the Huskies shot 34.3% and were outrebounded, 49-43.

“I still think we’re in,” Washington Coach June Daugherty said. “We were fourth in the conference and had a 7-2 nonconference record. I would hope five or six teams get in.”

In the first half, Washington was seven for 36, a staggering 19.4%. Hicks made six of 12 shots and had 18 of Washington’s 20 first-half points. The only other Husky basket was by Florence, who made the game’s opening deuce on a layup.

USC outscored the Huskies, 20-10, over the final eight minutes to lead, 32-20, at halftime.

Washington warmed up after the Trojans got to their 16-point edge, 45-29 with 15:22 to play.

The Huskies closed to within two points of USC three times, the last at 69-67 with five seconds left.

Stanford 77, Arizona 50 -- The Wildcats hung around the first 13 minutes of another quarterfinal game, but then the Cardinal (22-6), which had 16 points from Candice Wiggins and 15 from Rosalyn Gold-Onwude, eventually pulled away and moved into its fifth tournament semifinal in five years.

With the score tied at 17-17, Stanford went on a 19-7 run over the final 7:06 of the first half.

The Cardinal led by as many as 27 points in the second half.

For Arizona, which received 17 points from Ashley Whisonant, an emotionally draining season that began with the September death of senior center Shawntinice Polk ends with an 8-22 record, the fewest wins for Coach Joan Bonvicini in 24 years of college basketball.

“One of my assistants said [the season] was like doing a triathlon,” Bonvicini said.

“We didn’t win it, but we finished it.”