ARLINGTON – Two late long-range daggers in the final minute broke a tie game and sparked No. 25 Southern California by UT Arlington, 73-61, on Saturday at College Park Center.
The Lady Mavericks, falling in final-minute heartbreakers to both Power 5 opponents this season, saw the end of their five-game winning streak and went to 7-3 overall. USC bounced back from its first loss of the season in its last time out to move to 10-1.
"What a week," UTA coach Krista Gerlich said. "It has been a tough week but a good week, even the way it ended today. I feel like it was a good week with great competition and we got better as a team. I am disappointed in the outcome of the game and how we handled the in-game situations. USC played better than we did for 40 minutes. I told the team that we were not going to have any type of excuses and this was a great challenge for us. Lots of experience and lessons to learn.
Playing three games in six days, UTA went 2-1 in the week with an overtime win at Houston on Monday night and an afternoon victory over UTSA on Thursday.
UTA rallied from down four points with three minutes to play to tie the game late, but the Trojans hit consecutive 3-pointers down the floor to break the tie, going on a 14-4 run in the final 1:45 of the game. Each of UTA's last three games have been tied with under a minute to play.
"I am really proud of where this program is and what we are trying to do," Gerlich said of the expectations to win against a top-25 ranked team. "Our kids our very hungry and I told the kids that there isn't anyone on our schedule that I don't think we can play with. The difference is we don't want to just play with them, but we want to win. Our scheduling is going to continue to get better with opponents like this in front of our team and challenge them. They are ready and want those challenges."
Junior Brooke Alexander joined Terryn Milton and Misty Dossey in double figures to lead the Lady Mavs. Alexander posted a new UTA career-high with 13 points. Milton finished with a team-high 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting, grabbing a season-high eight rebounds. Dossey, instrumental in the second half, finishing with 10 points on 4-of-4 shooting, eight points coming in the second half.
UTA has one final tuneup in nonconference play as it takes a short trip across town to take on SMU on Dec. 29 at 7 p.m. UTA travels to Georgia State on Jan 3 and Georgia Southern on Jan. 5 to begin Sun Belt action. The Lady Mavs are back at CPC on Jan. 10 against Appalachian State.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Trojans came out of the gate, using their size to control the early boards, converting it into early second chance points and a quick 9-2 lead. Cierra Johnson was able to grab a put back to cut into the lead, but trailed 11-5 at the early media timeout.
Aysia Evans found herself open out of the break, draining a 3-pointer to bring the deficit back to just three. UTA's defense kept things close for the remainder of the quarter, forcing three consecutive turnovers by the Trojans, but USC hit on a pair from the line to lead by four.
The teams matched one another early on in the second with UTA keeping the deficit at two early. Alexander knocked down a quick-hitting corner 3-pointer to answer one from the Trojans, but UTA would go the next two minutes without an opportunity with back-to-back turnovers being converted into four points and a Lady Maverick timeout.
UTA brought things back down to a three-point deficit with USC being held without a field goal for more than three minutes, however, six consecutive free throws prevented UTA from tying things up.
The inside play from Dossey sparked a run late in the second quarter. A perfect lob pass from the freshman found Daiane Machado inside for an easy lay in, while she picked up a big rebound to tie the game with 1:30 in the half. USC would close out the half missing on back-to-back trips down the floor, with UTA leaving the floor tied at half.
The battled continued into the third with each team answering the other's punches. Out of a wild play with fouls called on both teams, UTA tied things up with Alexander hitting a free throw and Dossey with an easy inside lay in for the first lead of the game with 1:40 in the period.
However, USC's defense would turn UTA over on three trips down the floor and scored eight consecutive during a 31-second run. Dossey provided a quick answer out of the timeout to bring UTA back within four going to the final 10 minutes.
UTA continued the run in the opening minutes of the fourth with Lauren Billie draining a deep 3-pointer to bring things back within just one.
The Trojans attempted to pull away once again with the lead going to six points. It was Dossey with the UTA answer once again, commanding the inside play to keep things within a possession with 4:52 to play at the final media timeout.
NOTABLE
UTA changed up its lineup after running the same five for three consecutive games (Milton, Ferrell, K. Johnson, C. Johnson and McGowen). UTA's first sub came at 6:53 with Evans entering the game… The matchup was the first between the two teams. UTA is 0-2 against Power 5 teams this season. USC was the first ranked opponent at College Park Center since Oklahoma State in 2012 and first overall since facing No. 5 Baylor in 2015 in the Preseason WNIT... UTA led for just 50 seconds, all in the final four minutes of the fourth quarter... USC led for 32:12, with the game being tied seven times.... UTA's bench outscored USC 35-18.
