Southern Cal Spoils Wildcats’ Home Opener

Monday, November 17

Davidson, N.C.

7:00 p.m.

Davidson College Athletics

0-2

Southern California

1-1

Team	1	2	F
Southern California	47	52	99
Davidson	34	30	64

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

11/17/2014 10:24:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Gavin McFarlin - Assistant SID

Game Highlights
Photo Gallery
DavidsonPhotos.com

DAVIDSON, N.C. — Despite putting four scorers in double figures for the second straight game, Davidson was overcome by a swarming Southern California defense in falling 99-64 Monday evening in the Wildcats' home opener at John M. Belk Arena in women's basketball.

In a matchup of first-time opponents, USC (1-1) got the better of Davidson as it forced the 'Cats into 23 first-half turnovers and 28 for the game, turning those miscues into 42 points overall. The Trojans also shot 52.1 percent for the game (57.1 percent in the second half), getting 56 of their points down low in the paint and earning 16 fast-break points.

All five Trojan starters reached the double-digit mark, led by Courtney Jaco's 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting, all coming from behind the arc. Jordan Adams added 12 points, while Alexyz Vaioletama and Brianna Barrett each had 11. Kaneisha Horn rounded out the five with 10 points.

Coming off a her first career double-double, freshman Mackenzie Latt had a game-high 16 points for Davidson (0-2) on 6-of-10 shooting and 4-for-4 at the line. Hannah Early had her second straight 15-point outing, but was held to just two points in the second half.

Alexandra Long scored 11 points, while first-year Saadia Timpton had another solid game off the bench with 10 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals.

It was a tough first seven minutes of the game for the Wildcats, who were forced into 13 turnovers and fell behind 22-6.

Early did her best to put the team on her back, going on a 10-point scoring spree of her own later to make it 33-20 with 6:31 left in the first half. A few minutes later, another deep three-pointer by Early, the third of the period for the junior, made it 38-27. She finished the half 5-for-5 overall from the floor.

Then with 39 ticks left in the first half, Diona Johnson electrified the crowd again with a deep three-ball from the top of the key and Davidson was within eight at 42-34. It would be as close as the 'Cats got the rest of the way.

Southern Cal put the game away at the start of the second half. Up 47-34 coming out of halftime, the Trojans ran off a 19-6 run to push its lead to 66-40. Davidson never recovered, getting only as close as 23 (71-48) on a Timpton jumper the rest of the second half.

The Wildcats shot 46 percent from the floor and went 5-for-12 from long range. USC won the battle on the boards, 39-32.

Davidson, in the midst of playing four games in nine days before Thanksgiving, heads back on the road and plays at Gardner-Webb this Thursday at 7 p.m.

GAME NOTES: The Wildcats fell to 16-18 in home openers and 3-2 under head coach Michele Savage …. Davidson sits at 399 program wins in its 36-year history … Early has scored in double figures 30 times during her three-year career.