Cal hangs tough, but can’t stop Jazzy Davidson in close loss to No. 19 USC

SAN FRANCISCO — The future of women’s basketball was on full display at Chase Center on Sunday night. 

And Cal had no answer for her. 

Despite a valiant effort, Cal couldn’t stop Freshman sensation Jazzy Davidson as she scored 24 points in a 61-57 win for USC. 

Sakima Walker finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds for Cal. Taylor Barnes also had 13 points and Lulu Twidale added 11 points. 

Cal did just enough to trail by just three points at halftime. 

But Cal quickly took back the momentum coming out of the halftime break. The Bears scored seven unanswered points to start the third quarter to take a three-point lead and force USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb to call a timeout. 

After scoring 14 points in the first half, Cal held Davidson to just three points in the third quarter.

Cal’s lead ballooned to as large as nine in the third quarter, but USC ended the quarter on a 10-3 run to come within two points of Cal’s lead heading into the fourth quarter.

USC took a four-point lead with under 90 seconds left on a jumper from Kara Dunn. Two free throws from Gisella Maul cut the Trojans’ lead to just two at the 1:15 mark. 

But a costly turnover down two and a missed free throw trailing by Walker was the difference late as USC hit every clutch shot at the line to seal the win. 

Despite a hot-scoring start from Davidson, Cal kept up with the high-powered USC offense. 

The Bears shot 41% from the field and didn’t allow USC to find a secondary scorer in the first half. Davidson scored 14 points through the first two quarters, but no other USC player scored more than seven.

USC forced 11 Cal turnovers that led to nine points, helping the Trojans build a 31-28 advantage by halftime. 

Cal will host Cal Poly next Sunday. 

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