Rutgers Struggles Late as USC Pulls Away in Second Half
LOS ANGELES - For a quarter and a half, Rutgers women’s basketball went toe-to-toe with USC, trading buckets, battling for boards, and showing flashes of the kind of grit that’s defined their season. But after a strong start, the Scarlet Knights couldn’t keep pace with the Trojans’ second-half surge, ultimately falling 71-39 on Sunday afternoon at the Galen Center.
Zachara Perkins led the way for Rutgers with 12 points, continuing to make her presence felt since returning from a three-game absence. Imani Lester chipped in 11 of her own, while Antonia Bates anchored the glass with seven rebounds.
A Promising Start
Rutgers came out swinging. After USC opened the scoring, Lauryn Swann and Perkins quickly responded to give the Scarlet Knights an early 4-2 edge.
Imani Lester and Kaylah Ivey kept the momentum going, with Ivey knocking down a confident pull-up three to extend the lead to 9-5. A contested finish at the rim by Perkins capped off a 7-0 run, forcing USC into an early timeout.
The Trojans answered back, cutting the lead to one, but Rutgers held firm. Lester's late bucket in the first quarter gave the Scarlet Knights a 15-12 lead heading into the second - a frame that would prove to be a turning point.
The Shift Begins
USC wasted no time tying things up with a three to start the second quarter. The back-and-forth continued as Ivey drained her second triple of the afternoon to put Rutgers back on top, 18-17. But from there, the tide began to turn.
USC strung together a 10-0 run, capitalizing on defensive stops and second-chance opportunities. Rutgers called timeout to regroup, and Faith Blackstone provided a brief spark with four quick points before halftime. Still, the Trojans carried a 29-23 lead into the break - a manageable deficit, but one that felt heavier given the momentum shift.
Second Half Struggles
Lester opened the third with a tough layup in traffic, but USC responded immediately and didn’t look back. Another 5-0 burst pushed the lead to nine. Blackstone scored off a slick backdoor feed from Bates, and Swann added a jumper, but the Trojans kept answering - and then some.
By the time the third quarter buzzer sounded, USC had outscored Rutgers 23-8 in the period and built a commanding 52-31 lead. The Scarlet Knights struggled to find rhythm offensively, and USC’s pressure on both ends of the floor began to wear them down.
The fourth quarter opened with another USC run - this time a 10-0 blitz - that all but sealed the outcome. Perkins tried to keep Rutgers in it, hitting free throws and a three-pointer late, but the damage had been done. USC closed the game on a 7-1 spurt to cap a dominant second half.
By the Numbers
- Zachara Perkins scored in double figures for the second straight game since returning to the lineup, her 12th such performance this season.
- Imani Lester posted her 14th game with 10+ points, continuing to be a steady presence in the paint.
- Antonia Bates led the team in rebounding for the third straight game and seventh time this season.
- Kaylah Ivey knocked down two threes - her 15th game with multiple makes from deep - and dished out seven assists, just one shy of her season high.
She’s now recorded at least three assists in 14 games this year.
Despite the final score, the opening half showed Rutgers can hang with tough competition when they’re locked in. The challenge now is sustaining that energy and execution over four quarters - especially with another powerhouse waiting in the wings.
What’s Next
Rutgers stays on the West Coast for a daunting matchup against No. 2 UCLA on February 4.
Tip-off is set for 10 p.m. ET.
Plenty of lessons to take from this one, and with another top-tier opponent coming up, the Scarlet Knights won’t have to wait long for a shot at redemption.