USC women can’t hold off Kiyomi McMiller, Penn State’s efficient shooters

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The USC women’s basketball team led for most of the night but fell short in the closing moments as hot-shooting Penn State rallied for an 85-82 victory on Wednesday night at Rec Hall.

Kara Dunn had 24 points and made a season-best six 3-pointers, while adding six rebounds and three assists to lead USC (17-11 overall, 9-8 Big Ten). Jazzy Davidson finished with 22 points, her sixth consecutive 20-point game. Kennedy Smith added 19 points, six rebounds and four assists, while Laura Williams contributed six rebounds.

Kiyomi McMiller scored a career-high 40 points and made a career-best seven 3-pointers to pace Penn State (11-17, 4-13), which shot 62% from the field (31 for 50) and 58% from 3-point range (11 for 19). McMiller shot 15 for 24 from the field and 7 for 10 from behind the arc to go with six assists and three steals. Center Gracie Merkle added 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting, while Nyla McFadden added 10 points and a team-best nine rebounds.

The Trojans led at the end of each of the first three quarters, but the Nittany Lions outscored them by 10 points in the second half to nose ahead in the final period.

Smith scored 11 points in the opening period as USC grabbed a 26-24 lead, then the Trojans turned up their defensive intensity. USC forced 14 Penn State turnovers in the first half, turning them into 20 points. Davidson closed the first half by making three free throws for a 46-39 lead.

Dunn made a 3-pointer to open the third quarter and extended its lead to 12 points, but Penn State began to chip away behind its efficient shooting. The Lions outscored USC 19-13 in the period to cut their deficit to 59-58 entering the fourth.

Londynn Jones (10 points) made a 3-pointer off a Smith assist early in the fourth, and later drained another for a 70-68 lead midway through the period. Penn State responded with a late offensive push, capitalizing on timely baskets and free throws down the stretch. Dunn made a 3-pointer with 35 seconds left to get the Trojans within 80-77, then she hit another with 14 seconds left to cut Penn State’s lead to 82-80.

Penn State extended its lead on a pair of McMiller free throws, then Davidson answered with a layup with four seconds left to make it a two-point game again, but the Lions added another free throw in the final seconds and the Trojans were unable to complete the comeback.

USC, which led by as much as 12 points, finished with 24 points off of 19 Penn State turnovers and had twice as many steals (11-5), but was done in by Penn State’s efficient shooting. USC shot 44% from the field and 14 for 33 from behind the arc (42%) and it still wasn’t enough.

UP NEXT

USC returns to the Galen Center for its regular-season finale against No. 2 UCLA on Sunday at 3 p.m. (FS1)