WOMEN’S BASKETBALL : USC Coasts, Will Face Iowa in Final

USC’s unbeaten women’s basketball team ran off to its sixth straight victory Wednesday night, setting up a confrontation tonight at Lyon Center with No. 2-ranked Iowa in the title game of the Trojans’ Christmas Tournament.

Iowa (6-0) beat Houston earlier in the tournament opener, 59-44.

Then USC, in probably its best showing yet, and Lisa Leslie in her best outing, defeated Western Michigan, 88-62.

Leslie, the 6-foot-5 senior All-American, was all but unstoppable. In 30 minutes, she had 25 points (20 in the first half) on 11-of-13 shooting, 11 rebounds and two blocks.

She took her best shot at a dunk on a break early in the second half but hung the ball on the rim.

Coach Cheryl Miller’s team showed depth in routing a team that came in at 5-1. Eleven Trojans played, with playing time ranging from eight minutes to Leslie’s 30.

USC played a mobile zone defense that accounted for Western Michigan’s 33.3% shooting percentage. USC shot 60.9%, marksmanship improved by repeated second-half steals and fast breaks.

Jualeah Woods led the defense with four steals and four assists.

The Trojans had a 46-33 intermission lead, but boosted that to a 20-point advantage less than nine minutes into the second half. In five minutes, Tina Thompson, Karleen Shields and Nikki McCrimmon spurred USC from a 57-43 lead to 70-46, with nine minutes left.

In the first game, Iowa broke open a close contest early in the second half and won going away.

Iowa, however, lost its best player this week when leading scorer and All-American candidate Tia Jackson was declared out for the season after a Dec. 19 knee injury.

Iowa’s 6-5 post player, Cathy Marx, scored 22 points, had three blocks and was 10 for 15 from the floor.