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UCLA women’s basketball ekes out win over USC in tough night for offense

Freshman guard Londynn Jones eyes the court beyond the arc. The rookie achieved a breakout game, going 6-of-11 from the field and 8-of-9 from the charity stripe to aid the Bruins’ come-from-behind effort with 22 points. (Esther Ma/Daily Bruin staff)

women’s basketball


USC60
No. 12 UCLA61

By Gavin Carlson

Jan. 8, 2023 5:00 p.m.

This post was updated Jan. 11 at 12:22 a.m.

Heading into the fourth quarter, the Bruins trailed the Trojans by 12 and had done little right.

They had more turnovers than made shots through three quarters, and the team’s leading scorer – senior guard Charisma Osborne – had made just one of her 12 shots.

But behind a career day from her next-in-line, freshman guard Londynn Jones, the blue and gold completed the comeback.

Jones scored a career-high 22 points, including seven in the final quarter, to help No. 12 UCLA women’s basketball (14-2, 3-1 Pac-12) erase a 12-point fourth quarter deficit to beat USC (11-4, 1-3) by a score of 61-60. The scoring outburst came after Jones had a career-high 17 points and made five 3s without Osborne in the Bruins’ loss to Oregon State on New Year’s Day.

“It’s not really a surprise to me,” Jones said. “I put in the work when no one sees, so just coming out and implementing it to the game is always good. But nothing brand new, honestly. This is what we do.”

With Osborne back from a left shoulder injury but held to 2-of-16 shooting from the field, Jones shot 6-of-11 from the field and made eight of her nine free throws to carry a blue and gold offense that shot 25% from the field without her.

Coach Cori Close said Jones rose to the occasion when her team needed her the most.

“Obviously a lot of really difficult moments,” Close said. “But when you have a selfless team and a neutral team, … we get ready for big moments when we need it. Londynn Jones was ready for that big moment.”

With neither side able to pull away early, the first quarter was dominated by the referees. 

The two squads combined for a total of 15 fouls, and USC took advantage by shooting 10-of-12 from the charity stripe in the first quarter. Meanwhile, UCLA attempted just two free throws in the first 9 minutes and 59 seconds of the game.

Then in the final seconds of the opening period, Jones stole a Trojan’s pass, took a few dribbles and drew a foul while throwing up a half-court shot attempt. Jones converted all three free throws to grant the Bruins a 19-17 lead after one quarter. 

Despite shooting 38.9% from the field and 1-of-6 from 3-point range, UCLA claimed the advantage. But the blue and gold’s shooting woes didn’t go away.

In fact, they got worse.

The Bruins shot 30.8% from the field in the second quarter, and their stagnation was compounded by six turnovers. USC outscored UCLA 17-11 in the second quarter thanks in large part to eight points, three rebounds and a steal from Trojan forward Rayah Marshall. 

UCLA finished the half with 11 turnovers and 11 made shots.

And yet, once again, things got even worse for the Bruins’ offense in the third.

Outside of two baskets from Jones and one from freshman guard Kiki Rice, UCLA didn’t make another shot in the quarter and turned the ball over five more times. Through three quarters, the Bruins committed 16 turnovers while shooting just 14-of-51 from the field. 

The blue and gold went 0-of-5 from behind the arc in the third, and missed several more layups in the quarter to fall to 8-of-20 on layups through three quarters. Meanwhile USC shot 5-of-11 in the quarter, with guard Destiny Littleton scoring six points to give the Trojans a 54-40 lead heading into the final period.

Despite the struggles, redshirt sophomore forward Emily Bessoir said the team believed its run would come on the heels of its energy on defense.

“Focusing on our defense, getting stops and scores, what we train and what we know how to do – that was key,” Bessoir said.

After having more turnovers than made shots heading into the fourth, the Bruins completely turned things around in the final 10 minutes, largely due to a 10-0 run in the first 2 minutes and 43 seconds of the period. 

UCLA drew four fouls in the first 45 seconds of the frame and was in the bonus with 8:21 left in the quarter. Despite having just one made field goal, Osborne made four free throws through the first minute and a half. 

After struggling to convert from inside, it was back-to-back layups that shifted the tide in the Bruins’ favor. Jones continued her career day with two layups in a 16-second span to cut the lead to 52-50. After a layup from the Trojans – their only made basket through the first 9 minutes and 59 seconds of the final quarter – Bessoir nailed a 3 and Osborne drained her second field goal of the game to give the Bruins the lead with 3:31 left in the game. 

The blue and gold limited USC to just four free throws and no made baskets over the next 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Despite not making a field goal of their own through that stretch, the Bruins assumed a 60-58 lead thanks to two free throws from freshman forward Lina Sontag with 1:05 remaining. 

Jones scored her career-high 22nd point of the game from the free throw line after being run over while setting a screen, and a last-second 3-point attempt from Littleton went off the back iron.

Behind their freshman guard, the Bruins completed the comeback to avoid a second straight loss.

“Something that I just love about Londynn is she’s got this moxie about her in big moments,” Close said. “She already had the moxie, she just needed the experience. She’s done the right preparation. … That’s how she was able to step up.”

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Gavin Carlson | Sports staff
Carlson is currently a staff writer on the football, men's basketball and women's basketball beats. He was previously a reporter on the softball and men's golf beats.
Carlson is currently a staff writer on the football, men's basketball and women's basketball beats. He was previously a reporter on the softball and men's golf beats.
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