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LOS ANGELES, Calif. — USC broke open a close game early with a 13-2 run late in the first half and the Trojans earned a 74-56 victory against UTSA on Wednesday night at the Galen Center.
Junior Simone Young led the Roadrunners (2-5) with a season-high 14 points on the strenngth of an 8-for-13 performance at the free throw line, while freshman Mannasha Bell finished with a dozen after playing just three minutes in the first half.
Cassie Harberts paced the Trojans (3-3) with a game-high 18 points, 12 of which came at the charity stripe.
UTSA ran into foul trouble early and drew six whistles in the first two-and-a-half minutes. USC reached the bonus at the 16:03 mark and the double-bonus with 8:28 remaining in the opening stanza. That allowed the Women of Troy to hold onto the lead despite shooting 36 percent from the field, including 0-for-9 from behind the arc.
Junior Jalisa Montgomery provided UTSA with its first points of the game to break an early 7-0 run by the Trojans.
After a power outage in the arena halted play for about five minutes, the teams resumed play as the lights warmed up. With the lights dimmed, freshman Ashley Spaletta connected from behind the arc to cut the deficit to four. Minutes later, another Montgomery jumper pulled UTSA to within three with 7:52 on the clock.
USC then began its run at the free-throw line and a Harberts jumper capped the spurt, which gave the Trojans a 30-16 advantage. USC took a 36-20 edge into the locker room after a last-second layup by Jacki Gemelos.
After being limited to just three minutes in the first half because of two early fouls, Bell scored on UTSA’s first possession following intermission and a fastbreak layup by Judy Jones cut the deficit to 12, but that was closest the Roadrunners got the rest of the night.
USC's lead jumped to as much as 24 late in the half, as it cruised to the 18-point triumph.
UTSA forced 25 turnovers and scored 20 points off those miscues and outscored the Trojans 32-28 in the paint.
The Roadrunners will return home where they play five of their final six games of the calendar year beginning with a Sunday matchup against Houston (0-6). Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Convocation Center.