LOS ANGELES – The Arizona Wildcats (11-9, 2-7 Pac-12) made things interesting in the fourth quarter as USC's lead got down to three with under a minute remaining, but it wasn't enough as the USC Trojans (11-9, 2-7) won on Friday night in the Galen Center by a score of 58-54.
 
Malena Washington led the Wildcats in scoring for the sixth time this season as she put up 13 points along with four rebounds in 36 minutes. Washington also had a game-high three steals.
 
Dejza James was effective off the bench as she scored 10 points and had a team leading six rebounds in 28 minutes.
 
LaBrittney Jones scored in double-figures for the seventh-straight game as she poured in 10 points and also brought down three rebounds. The senior also had two steals and one block.
 
The Trojans owned the paint tonight as they outscored the Wildcats 30-24 under the basket and also outrebounded Arizona 39-27. USC was also excellent on the defensive end as they forced the Wildcats to 38% shooting.
 
USC got the best of Arizona in the first quarter on the defensive end as they forced the Wildcats to 25% shooting and just eight points in the first 10 minutes of the game, giving the Trojans a 16-8 lead. In the second quarter, USC used a 14-2 run in the last 3:42 of the period to take a 31-19 lead into halftime.
 
The Wildcats cut the lead to 10 at the end of the third quarter after winning the period 11-9. In the fourth quarter, Arizona scored a game-high 24 points, but the Trojans were able to make enough free throws to hang onto the lead as the clock hit zero.

Arizona will turn around and prepare for the 13th-ranked Bruins of UCLA, which will tip off on Sunday, Jan. 29 at 3 p.m. MST in Pauley Pavilion.
 
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