PALM DESERT — JuJu Watkins scored a season-best 34 points despite four fouls, Kiki Iriafen added a career-high 30 and the sixth-ranked USC women’s basketball team pulled away in the second half to beat Saint Louis, 104-65, on Friday night in the Acrisure Holiday Invitational.
Watkins was 7 for 9 from the free-throw line and had six rebounds. Iriafen made all 12 of her free throws and grabbed 12 rebounds. Talia Von Oelhoffen added 13 points for the Trojans (6-1).
Saint Louis made it interesting in the first half. After falling behind by nine in the first quarter, the Billikens overcame USC’s press and used a 12-1 run to outscore the Trojans 22-18 in the second quarter. Saint Louis shot 48% in the second quarter while holding USC to 40% and the Billikens’ bench outscored the Trojans’ reserves 10-5 to trail just 42-37 at halftime.
But USC roared back in the third, outscoring the Billikens 37-8. Watkins had seven points during an 18-0 run as defense sparked much of the dominance. The Trojans outscored Saint Louis 19-0 in points off turnovers during the third quarter.
USC scored 45 points off of 24 Saint Louis turnovers for the night.
The Billikens (3-5) were led by Mia Bergstrom with 19 points.
USC went 2-0 in the desert, having routed Seton Hall 84-51 on Wednesday.
UP NEXT
USC hosts Cal Baptist on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
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