LOS ANGELES (AP) — After three seasons at Southern California, including being Pac-12 freshman of the year, Alissa Pili left for Utah.
“I needed to step out of my comfort zone a little bit to really push me to get to where I knew I could be,” the Alaska native said.
Pili and the 18th-ranked Utah Utes were feeling on top Sunday after beating the No. 7 Trojans 74-68. She had 23 points and nine rebounds in the program’s biggest road win, having never beaten a team ranked higher than 15th away from home.
“It means a lot, especially my senior year coming out with the win,” Pili said. “I think this game is kind of going to propel us forward for the remainder of the season.”
Pili finished 12 of 14 from the line.
“Especially when the whole crowd is booing you, when you’re at the line you get a little satisfaction making those,” she said, smiling.
The Utes (20-8, 10-6 Pac-12) ended the Trojans’ seven-game winning streak and completed a season sweep. They handed USC its worst loss of the season, 78-58 last month in Salt Lake City.
“When they would push it and get close, we kept answering,” Utes coach Lynne Roberts said. “Just a total toughness win for us.”
JuJu Watkins scored 30 points, going 10 of 30 from the floor and 1 of 6 from 3-point range for the Trojans. The freshman sensation needed IV fluids at halftime, which made her late returning. The teams were on the court when she came flying out of the tunnel and was quickly subbed in before play began.
“She lays it all out on the line every single day,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said.
Watkins scored USC’s first 12 points of the fourth quarter, drawing the Trojans to 59-57. But Pili made a pair of free throws and Dasia Young hit a 3-pointer that kept the Utes ahead 64-60.
Watkins’ basket got the Trojans within four before Pili backed down Rayah Marshall in the paint and scored to make it 69-63.
“We want to beat her when she plays us,” Gottlieb said of Pili. “I’m extremely impressed with what she did when she left here. She put the work in.”
McKenzie Forbes hit a 3-pointer coming out of a timeout and Watkins made a pair of free throws that left USC trailing 71-68. Watkins got fouled again but USC was called for a lane violation.
Kennady McQueen added 14 points and Young finished with 13 for Utah.
The Utes bounced back after an 85-52 loss at No. 12 UCLA on Thursday in which they were “really, really bad,” Roberts said.
“We were sick and tired of short-selling ourselves when we know the type of team we can be,” Pili said.
Roberts said, “We knew we had a shot in this game, so it was just kind of a let’s regroup and take out our frustration and any of the embarrassment out on them.”
Kaitlyn Davis added 13 points on 6-of-6 shooting before fouling out with 3:18 remaining for USC (21-5, 11-5).
Trailing by nine, the Trojans ran off nine in a row to tie it at 39-all in the third, when Davis had 11 points. After another tie, the Utes scored eight straight, getting back-to-back 3-pointers by McQueen and Jenna Johnson, and led 50-45 going into the fourth. Johnson needed stitches for a cut above her eye.
Wilke sparked Utah with 11 points in the second, when the Utes went 5 of 8 from 3-point range with Wilke making three. They led 34-28 at the break.
Pili scored Utah’s first seven points of the game while the Trojans missed nine consecutive shots and trailed 14-6 in the first quarter. The teams combined to shoot 8 of 29 from the floor.
“That first quarter we were on the struggle bus offensively,” Gottlieb said.
BIG PICTURE
Utah: The Utes improved to 4-7 against ranked teams this season. Their first ranked win of the season was over the Trojans last month.
USC: The loss in the Trojans’ final regular-season home game spoiled Senior Day, with six players set to graduate.
UP NEXT
Utah: Hosts Washington State on Thursday in final regular-season homestand.
USC: Visits Arizona on Thursday to open last regular-season trip.
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