USC women’s basketball team to face Seton Hall on day two of Acrisure Series
USC's sixth-ranked women's basketball team will try to bounce back from a loss to Notre Dame when it faces Seton Hall today at 4 p.m. at Acrisure Arena on the second day of what organizers bill as the nation's largest collection of college basketball multiple-team events.
Check out our coverage of day one of the Acrisure Series:
The Trojans (4-1) lost to the Fighting Irish, 74-61, Saturday at the Galen Center, despite a game-high equaling 24 points from JuJu Watkins. Watkins is tied for ninth in the nation, averaging 22 points per game, after finishing second as a freshman last season when she averaged 27.1 points and was a first- team All-America selection.
Seton Hall (4-1) is also coming off its first loss of the season, losing to Princeton, 78-75, Thursday. The Pirates are led by forward Faith Masonius, a graduate student averaging 19.6 points per game after playing four seasons and part of a fifth at Maryland.
Oddsmakers have made USC a 4- to 4 1/2-point favorite. ESPN's matchup predictor gives the Trojans a 97.9% chance of winning, Seton Hall a 2.1% chance.
USC's men's team will play St. Mary's Thursday at 6 p.m. as part of the Acrisure Series' Acrisure Classic and either New Mexico or Arizona State Friday.
The Trojan women's team will play Saint Louis Friday at 4 p.m. in another Acrisure Holiday Invitational game.
Former USC men's basketball coach Andy Enfield will coach his eighth game for SMU when the Mustangs (5-2) face Washington State (6-1) at 6:30 p.m. in the men's championship game of Acrisure Holiday Invitational. SMU defeated California Baptist, 79-77, Tuesday, with guard Boopie Miller breaking a tie
with a 13-foot jump shot with 2.1 seconds left after the Mustangs squandered a 16-point second-half lead.
Washington State defeated Fresno State, 84-73, Tuesday, with guard Nate Calmese leading four Cougars in double figures with 22 points.
California Baptist (4-3) will face Fresno State (3-3) in the third- place game at 9 p.m.
Michigan State (7-0) will face Vanderbilt at 1:30 p.m. in the women's Acrisure Holiday Invitational championship game.
The Spartans overcame a 12-point deficit entering the fourth quarter to defeat California, 78-72, Tuesday.
Michigan State rallies back to defeat Cal 78-72 in @AcrisureSeries tournament opener. Lady Spartans were led by senior star Julia Ayrault who had 22 pts and 9 rebs, including some big shots down the stretch. MSU improves to 7-0, while Cal falls to 6-1. @KESQ @MSU_WBasketball pic.twitter.com/g3sPLd8X5Z
— Blake Arthur (@BlakeArthur24) November 26, 2024
Michigan State opened the fourth quarter by scoring 10 unanswered points, cutting the deficit to 60-58 with 6 minutes, 51 seconds to play. The Spartans took their first lead since the second quarter when Nyla Hampton's 3-point basket with 3:59 left put them ahead 67-66. Julia Ayrault completed the 9-1 run with a jump shot to increase the Spartans' lead to 69-66 with 2:34 remaining.
After a tip-in by center Gabrielle Abigor pulled the Golden Bears within one, 69-68, with 2:18 to play, Michigan State scored the next six points and led by at least four for the rest of the game.
Ayrault scored 13 of her game-high 22 points in the fourth quarter while Theryn Hallock added 15 for Michigan State. Lulu Twidale led California (6-1) with 20.
Vanderbilt defeated Arizona, 71-60, Tuesday, with forward Khamil Pierre scoring a game-high 25 points and guard Mikayla Blakes adding 23.
Khamil Pierre's 25 points and 15 rebounds helped lead Vanderbilt to a 71-60 win over Arizona. The Lady 'Dores will face Michigan State in the championship game tomorrow. Both teams are unbeaten on the season. @KESQ @AcrisureSeries @VandyWBB pic.twitter.com/hDrw0ooKJt
— Blake Arthur (@BlakeArthur24) November 26, 2024
California (6-1) beat Arizona (6-2) in the third-place game at 11 a.m.
Cal head coach Charmin Smith said Ugonne Onyiah carried her and the Lady Bears with her 25 points and 13 rebounds in their win over Arizona. @CalWBBall @KESQ @AcrisureSeries @AcrisureArena pic.twitter.com/XCK8tS55V0
— Blake Arthur (@BlakeArthur24) November 27, 2024
All games will be broadcast by TruTV and streamed by Max.
The 19-game Acrisure Series will conclude Friday.