03/21/26 05:15:00
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03/21 17:14 CDT Jazzy Davidson scores 31 as USC outlasts Clemson 71-67 in OT in
women's NCAA Tournament
Jazzy Davidson scores 31 as USC outlasts Clemson 71-67 in OT in women's NCAA
Tournament
By PETE IACOBELLI
Associated Press
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) --- Freshman Jazzy Davidson scored 31 points in her women's
NCAA Tournament debut, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:03 left in
overtime to lift ninth-seeded Southern California to a 71-67 victory over No. 8
seed Clemson on Saturday.
Davidson, a 6-foot-1 freshman, stroked a perfect shot from the right side to
send the Trojans (18-13) into a second-round matchup with top seed South
Carolina on Monday.
It looked like Clemson had won when Mia Moore flipped in a running basket at
the regulation buzzer and the Tigers ran onto the court in celebration. But
officials reviewed the play and found the shot clock had not properly started
with 4.4 seconds to play when Clemson inbounded the ball, and they waved off
the basket.
Clemson led 64-61 with 2:34 to play in OT when Davidson got going. She hit a
tying 3-pointer and then put USC ahead to stay on the next possession after
Malia Samuels gathered Davidson's missed shot and got it back to Davidson for
the go-ahead basket.
The dynamic freshman, who came in leading the team in scoring at 17.6 points,
played all 45 minutes and finished a point shy of her career high.
Kara Dunn added 22 points for USC, which had reached the Elite Eight the past
two years but played the entire season without star JuJu Watkins, who is
recovering from a torn ACL suffered in last year's NCAA Tournament.
Clemson got within 70-67 on Morgan Lee's 3-pointer with 9 seconds left, but
Samuels made a free throw to seal it.
Taylor Johnson-Matthews scored 16 points for Clemson, and Raven Thompson added
11 points and 12 rebounds.
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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and
coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
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