USC Women Defeat Georgia to Win Title : Freshmen Nelson, Howell Lead the Trojans to a 70-67 Victory

The USC women’s basketball team got a look at the future Saturday afternoon. It liked what it saw.

Led by freshmen Cherie Nelson and Karon Howell, the Trojans defeated Georgia, 70-67, to win their own USC-Transamerica tournament in front of 2,783 fans in the Sports Arena.

So much attention has been paid to seniors Cheryl Miller and Cynthia Cooper, that the players who will run the Trojans next year have been overlooked.

Not any more.

Nelson worked on Georgia’s enforcer and leading scorer, Katrina McClain (who is averaging 20 points per game), and held her to only six points. Howell, who remained calm throughout a stormy second half, sank two free throws with five seconds left to clinch the game for USC.

“Nothing seems to bother Karon,” USC Coach Linda Sharp said. “They (Georgia) were giving her shots, but she just wasn’t hitting them like she usually does. I told her that was not a reason not to shoot. I told her that she might make the one basket that counts--she did it. Her two free throws made the difference today.”

With the win, the Trojans (10-1) will likely change places with the Lady Bulldogs (10-1) in the polls. Georgia was ranked No. 2 this week, and USC was No. 3.

USC’s young team has benefited from a difficult early schedule. Its loss to No. 1 Texas and its come-from-behind win over Tennessee have helped the players mature.

“Nelson learned a lot from playing the Texas post players a few weeks ago,” Sharp said. “She learned a lot from Georgia’s post people, too.”

Howell and Nelson, much to Sharp’s delight, did not act their age in the game’s waning minutes. Nelson’s basket with 4:19 left cut Georgia’s lead to 63-62.

USC went ahead for good on Miller’s two-footer with 3:37 left. But the Trojans’ 64-63 lead was a precarious one. With 47 seconds left, McClain sank another shot from the inside to maintain USC’s one-point lead at 68-67, but it appeared that the Lady Bulldogs were gaining momentum.

USC brought the ball down the floor and Miller took an ill-advised shot from the right side that was way short. Nelson bulled her way underneath and came up with the offensive rebound.

Howell was fouled, and Georgia called time out as the freshman stood at the free-throw line for the one-and-one. She came back and made both shots to seal the game for USC.

“It didn’t make me nervous,” Howell said of the timeout by Georgia. “It just gave me more time to think about what I had to do. I think the freshmen came in and gave some good leadership today.”

“Nelson did a nice job on McClain,” Georgia Coach Andy Landers said. “Howell played well for them. We’ve played Southern California three years in a row, and I think this USC team has the most potential to improve. They were playing some young kids, Nelson and Howell. I tell you what, they are going to get better.”

In the first half, USC was helped by 50% shooting from the field. Georgia, which has shot an average of 60% this season, managed only 39% in the half.

After the Trojans had jumped to a 14-6 lead, the Lady Bulldogs began to take advantage of their superior height. McClain was the force for Georgia inside, blocking shots and forcing USC to take the ball back outside, out of traffic.

It was Howell who bailed USC out of the tight spot, her jumping ability allowing her to get shots away.

Howell’s back-to-back jumpers gave the Trojans a 35-30 lead with 3:50 left in the half. The Trojans led, 43-34, at the half.

“That was the first time in nine games that we haven’t gone into the half with a lead of 20 points or more,” Landers said.

Cooper led USC with 20 points, Nelson had 18 and 10 rebounds, and Miller, who was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, had 18 points and 15 rebounds. Howell had 12 points.

Teresa Edwards has 24 points for Georgia and Lisa O’Connor had 12.

In the consolation game, 18th-ranked North Carolina beat Missouri, 87-80. The Tigers’ Renee Kelly led all scorers with 33 points, while Pam Leake had 30 points and Kathy Wilson 24 for the Tar Heels.

Named to the all-tournament team were Edwards and McClain of Georgia, Miller and Cooper of USC, Kelly of Missouri and Leake of North Carolina.