Indiana women’s basketball’s three-game winning streak ended Thursday night against USC.
The Hoosiers fell to the Trojans 79-73 at the Galen Center in Los Angeles. Freshman forward Maya Makalusky led Indiana with 29 points and six rebounds.
Senior guard Shay Ciezki did not play in the contest after being listed as questionable on Indiana's pregame availability report. Senior guard Jerni Kiaku, who’s averaged 13 minutes per game in 21 appearances for the Hoosiers this season, filled in for Ciezki in the starting lineup. The 5-foot-7 Kiaku recorded nine points and six rebounds against USC.
The Trojans took a 7-2 lead to start the contest after the Hoosiers missed their first three shot attempts from the field. Makalusky drained a 3-pointer nearly three minutes in, which sparked a 7-0 Indiana run to take a two-point advantage.
Kiaku fouled USC junior forward Gerda Raulušaityte, who made one of her two free throws. However, Kiaku scored a 3-pointer on the Hoosiers’ next possession to start another 7-0 Indiana run.
Raulušityte made another free throw, and USC freshman guard Jazzy Davidson scored the Trojans’ first field goal since the 8:40 mark of the first quarter with just over two minutes remaining in the opening period. A layup from USC senior guard Kara Dunn cut the Hoosiers’ lead to three points.
However, Indiana responded with an 8-0 run to end the quarter and took a 24-13 lead over USC.
The Trojans started the second quarter with six unanswered points. A jumper from junior forward Edessa Noyan ended USC’s run, and Kiaku made two free throws to regain a nine-point advantage.
The two squads continued to trade baskets until a jumper from Davidson sparked a 9-0 run and gave USC a one-point lead with 33 seconds left in the first half. Makalusky made a 3-pointer with four seconds left to give the Hoosiers a 37-35 halftime advantage.
USC opened the third quarter just like the second: with six consecutive points, which gave the Trojans a four-point lead. Makalusky made a layup with 7:11 on the clock to stop the run.
After Makalusky’s shot, the Hoosiers’ offense went cold. The Cream and Crimson had three missed shots and committed two turnovers in their next five possessions. Freshman guard Nevaeh Caffey made two free throws, but Indiana’s next field goal, a 3-pointer by redshirt sophomore guard Lenée Beaumont, didn’t come until just under four minutes left in the third period.
After Beaumont’s basket, USC scored four straight points. Indiana responded with a 6-0 run to remain within two and prompt USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb to call a timeout.
The two teams traded baskets throughout the remainder of the third quarter. Raulušaityte drained two free throws with 15 seconds left in the third to give USC a three-point lead ahead of the final frame.
A Makalusky 3-pointer tied the contest at 57 just over 30 seconds into the fourth quarter, but USC took the lead right back with a layup from Dunn.
Halfway through the final period, the contest remained within three points, but USC began to pressure Indiana and forced four turnovers in the first five minutes.
Kiaku fouled out of the contest with 4:25 left in the game. Her foul was elevated to a flagrant, which gave Dunn two free-throw attempts. She made both to give USC a 71-64 lead.
The Trojans didn’t score on their offensive possession, and Makalusky took advantage with a 3-pointer and a free throw to cut USC’s lead to three.
Noyan fouled out of the contest on the Trojans’ next offensive possession. Davidson made both her free throws to regain a five-point USC advantage. Makalusky recorded another triple to put the Hoosiers within two points of the Trojans.
But USC responded with two free throws, and Makalusky missed a shot attempt on Indiana’s next possession. Sophomore guard Phoenix Stotijn fouled out of the contest, and the Trojans sunk both free throws to pull six points ahead.
The free throws proved to be enough for the Trojans to walk away with a six-point win over the Hoosiers.
Indiana will now face No. 2 UCLA at 3 p.m. Sunday at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles. The contest will stream on Peacock.
Follow reporters Savannah Slone (@savrivers06 and srslone@iu.edu) and Max Schneider (maxschn@iu.edu) and columnist Sean McAvoy (@sean_mc07 and semcavoy@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana women’s basketball season.
