Reese scores 33, No. 22 Arizona tops USC 81-75 in 2OT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cate Reese scored a career-high 33 points, including four clinching free throws in the last 7.5 seconds of the second overtime, to give No. 22 Arizona an 81-75 win over USC on Sunday.

Shay Pellington and Jade Loville both had 17 points for the Wildcats (18-5, 8-4 Pac-12 Conference), who picked up a critical sweep in Los Angeles after beating No. 14 UCLA 71-66 in overtime on Friday.

Helena Pueyo had her only two points from the foul line with 15 seconds to go for a 77-73 Arizona lead, the first time it became a two possession game in the second overtime.

The Wildcats had a four-point lead midway through the first overtime but the Trojans scored six straight before Maya Nnaji tied it at 68 with 5.2 seconds left.

Arizona had a five-point lead in regulation with just over two minutes to go but Rokia Doumbia hit a 3-pointer and a layup to tie it and Destiny Littleton made a pair of free throws after an offensive rebound to put USC up 58-56 with 43 seconds to go.

Loville quickly answered. The Trojans missed a shot with six seconds to go but Arizona couldn’t get off a final shot.

Littleton had 21 points for the Trojans (17-6, 7-5), playing all 50 minutes, as did Kadi Sissoko, who scored 15 points. Rayah Marshall had 17 points, 20 rebounds and six blocks in 48 minutes. Doumbia, a senior transfer from Purdue, had a career-high 17 in 28 minutes off the bench before fouling out in the first OT.

USC went 4 of 13 from the field and 9 of 10 from the foul line in the two overtimes. Arizona was 7 of 15 with three 3s and made 6 of 8 free throws.

Reese, who only had eight points at halftime, and Pellington, who had four, played 49 minutes.

Arizona is home on Friday against No. 2 Stanford, which will drop after losing 72-67 at Washington Sunday when USC goes to Oregon.

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AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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