During a highly anticipated midweek NCAA basketball lineup, No. 4 USC managed to secure a tough road victory against No. 8 Maryland on Wednesday, handing the Terrapins their first loss of the season.
Although guard Shyanne Sellers led the game with 26 points and forward Christina Dalce registered the only double-double, the Terps still fell short, losing 79-74 in their first encounter with the Trojans in 27 years.
USC rallies the troops
Newcomer USC had to come together to overcome Maryland’s strong defense, which limited star JuJu Watkins to 7-for-19 shooting and 1-for-5 from beyond the arc. Despite this, Watkins still matched Kiki Iriafen’s team-high 21 points before fouling out in the final minute.
With star guard Talia von Oelhoffen sidelined due to injury, USC’s top-ranked freshman trio of Kennedy Smith, Avery Howell, and Kayleigh Heckel stepped up, each contributing double-digit points to secure the victory.
“We had a strong belief in ourselves,” Watkins shared post-game. “It was about coming together and finishing the game strong.”
Big Ten dominates midweek NCAA action
While Maryland’s unbeaten streak ended, No. 9 Ohio State narrowly escaped a loss against No. 25 Michigan, securing an 84-77 victory after a second-half comeback led by freshman guard Jaloni Cambridge’s 29 points.
Elsewhere, unranked Nebraska handed No. 20 Michigan State a conference defeat with senior Alexis Markowski’s 28-point performance propelling the Huskers to an 85-80 win.
LSU faces tough test against Tennessee
The top-ranked action continues with a highly anticipated matchup between No. 6 LSU and No. 16 Tennessee, pitting the nation’s top offense and rebounding team against an experienced SEC rival.
Following their first loss against No. 10 Oklahoma, the Vols aim to halt LSU’s perfect 17-0 record and bounce back strongly.
Exciting matchups highlight Thursday’s slate
Following the LSU-Tennessee clash, ACC rivals No. 19 UNC and No. 14 Duke will face off for the 109th time. UNC holds a slight edge historically and looks for a redemption win after a recent loss.
In another matchup, one-loss teams No. 5 Texas and No. 18 Alabama will battle, with Alabama seeking their first win against Texas in program history.
How to watch NCAA women’s basketball on Thursday
The ranked matchups kick off with LSU vs. Tennessee at 6:30 PM ET on SECN+, followed by Duke vs. UNC on ACCN at 7 PM ET, and Texas vs. Alabama on SECN+ at 8 PM ET.
