USC’s upset bid of Stanford falls short in narrow loss

Cameron Brink became Stanford’s career leader in blocked shots with six others, scoring 12 points, including a crucial putback with 1:04 to go, and the No. 3 Cardinal beat No. 25 USC 50-47 on Friday night for sole possession to take over Pac-12 leads.

Brink started the night by taking two blocks to break Jayne Appel’s mark of 273 sets from 2006-10, then batted away a layup by Kadi Sissoko at the 5:25 mark of second for the record. Close friend and family supporter Stephen Curry and his daughter Riley – alongside 49ers quarterback Trey Lance – sat on the baseline and cheered her on. Brink already had the record for a season, taking her total to 99. She also had 10 rebounds.

Okako Adika’s jumper, 1:41 ahead, drew the Trojans (19-7, 9-6) to 48-45, but Brink responded after Jones missed. Destiny Littleton scored 15 points but missed a baseline three under pressure just before the final buzzer attempted to send the game into overtime.

Haley Jones added eight points, ten rebounds and five assists in the “pink game” as both programs wore pink to raise awareness for breast cancer. Stanford (25-3, 13-2 Pac-12) rebounded after his 14-game winning streak was halted by the Trojans in a 55-46 loss in Los Angeles on Jan. 15.

The Cardinal stands alone on the Pac-12 after No. 4 Utah lost 82-72 to 18th-place Arizona on Friday.

Sissoko, leading USC at 15 points per game for a Trojans team averaging 65.8 points, shot just three of 15 for nine points.

Adika made two early threes and Littleton also knocked down one from deep as USC took an 11-5 lead. Adika ended up on 13 points but the Trojans only had two points in the suit, none from the bench and none on the fast break.

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Appel, now Jayne Appel-Marinelli, texted the AP to congratulate Brink.

“From one great Stanford to another great Stanford: they took the torch and took it to a higher level. Congratulations Block Queen! It’s really an achievement to be at the top with all the other Stanford greats!”

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USC: Sophomore center Clarice Akunwafo went hard on her left leg at 5:55 and grabbed her knee before heading to the dressing room. USC averaged 9.3 steals per game and finished with five. The Trojans lost their 19th-straight finish at the Maples Pavilion with a 62-59 win on March 1, 2001. They are 7-33 all-time on Stanford’s home soil.

Stanford: Stanford attempted just four three-pointers in the first half, largely because the Cardinal outplayed the Trojans 26-0 in the paint before the break. Down 48-41 with 3:47 to play, the Cardinal committed a rare shot clock violation. Stanford has won 22 straight Pac-12 home games.

Next for USC: On Sunday in California, Coach Lindsay Gottlieb’s former program as the Golden Bears honors her Final Four team 10 years later.

Next for Stanford: UCLA hosts Monday for seniors’ night as the cardinal finalizes home schedule.