BAD NEWS:In a top-10 match, Colorado Buffaloes prevail against USC Trojans.

BAD NEWS:In a top-10 match, Colorado Buffaloes prevail against USC Trojans.

In a 63-59 slugfest, the Colorado Buffaloes defeated the #6 USC Trojans, another team ranked in the top 10.

After losing badly to Utah on Thursday, USC came into this game with a lot of baggage. JuJu Watkins, a rookie sensation for the Trojans, leads an outstanding defensive unit that has only lost once this season, that time to UCLA, whom they upset last weekend. They play through Watkins, slow down the game, and secure everything on the other end.

In a challenging competition, Colorado found it tough to get anything going. They were unable to steal any balls because USC was not passing the ball. Even with a +10 rebounding advantage, they were unable to recover from misses. Additionally, USC crowded the paint and taunted them to shoot, so they were unable to get any easy points in the half-court. Quay Miller’s lights-out shooting was the only offensive asset the Buffs had going for them. To keep her team afloat, she scored eight more points early in the third quarter after scoring eleven in the first.

This game was disgusting from beginning to end, but as the second half went on, it became even more repulsive. Colorado had a terrible time committing turnovers, especially live-ball mistakes that cost USC points. However, they compensated for it with a strong defensive showing. After getting off to a quick start, Watkins scored 12 points in the first quarter but only managed to shoot 4/15 from the field. Kindyll Wetta deserves praise for stopping her, and Jaylyn Sherrod deserves credit for drawing a foul that forced Watkins to foul out with six minutes remaining in the match.

After Watkins left the game, the Buffs switched to a 2-3 zone, which effectively shut off the Trojans’ offensive. When USC attempted to attack the zone, Wetta and Frida Formann forced two thefts, which gave Sherrod the opportunity to score a fast break layup. That put the Buffs in their comfort zone and had the CU Events Centre rocking. At the last second, Sherrod cut across the lane to help Aaronette Vonleh make the game-winning basket, almost giving Colorado the lead.

Colorado was in a position to run out the time, but USC gave them a fright. With a few seconds left, Kayla Padilla launched a successful prayer, Sherrod made just one of his two free throws, and Forbes missed an open layup that would have knotted the score. Although the Buffs were lucky, nobody can undo their hard-earned victory.

With a 6-1 record in Pac-12 play, the Buffs now stand at 16-2 overall. They also achieved another victory that enhances their résumé, having already overcome #6 USC, #8 Stanford, #10 LSU, and #20 Utah. Next week, when they play the Beavers (15-2) and Ducks (11-8) in Oregon, they might add another superb victory to their record.

ADDITIONAL RALPHIE REPORT CONTENT
Weekly Pac-12 Freshman of the Week is Cody Williams.
How to watch women’s basketball between the Colorado Buffaloes and USC Trojans
Colorado defeats Oregon State 90-57 at home to maintain its perfect record.
How to see Colorado State of Oregon vs. Buffaloes Men’s basketball at Beavers
Dylan Edwards, a running back, will join the track team
JR Payne and the Buffaloes are upbeat after their UCLA defeat.