COLUMBIA, S.C. — Jazzy Davidson Shines in NCAA Tournament Debut
In her first game of the women’s NCAA Tournament, freshman Jazzy Davidson scored an impressive 31 points, including a pivotal 3-pointer with just over a minute remaining in overtime, helping ninth-seeded Southern California secure a 71-67 win against eighth-seeded Clemson.
Davidson, measuring 6-foot-1, hit a flawless shot from the right side, enabling the Trojans (who are now 18-13) to move on to the second round, where they will take on top-seeded South Carolina.
It seemed for a moment that Clemson had clinched a victory when Mia Moore converted a basket at the buzzer during regulation. Excited Tigers fans rushed onto the court. However, after reviewing the play, officials determined that the shot clock hadn’t started appropriately when Clemson inbounded the ball with 4.4 seconds left, leading to a shocking turnaround.
Players from USC were initially left in disbelief, waiting on the sidelines as the decision was reviewed. Once the referee announced the call, the Trojans mentally regrouped, readying themselves for an additional five minutes of play.
“These things happen in March,” Davidson commented regarding the near buzzer-beater. “It was a shock to see that because none of us wanted our season to end, but when we found out we were going into overtime, it was just a mental reset.”
Carla Dunn, who contributed 22 points, encouraged her teammates to keep pushing forward. “We said, ‘You don’t get a second chance in life,’ so we took advantage of it,” she noted.
Clemson held a 64-61 lead with 2:34 left in overtime until Davidson began rallying the Trojans. She tied the game with a 3-pointer, and then, following a missed shot, received a pass from Maria Samuels to put USC ahead on their next possession.
Davidson has been a standout this season, averaging 17.6 points per game, and she played the full 45 minutes, narrowly missing her career high.
USC has boasted back-to-back Elite Eight appearances in the previous two years, yet this season has been challenging, playing without star JuJu Watkins, who is still recovering from a torn ACL from last year’s tournament.
Clemson closed the gap to 70-67 on a 3-pointer from Morgan Lee with just nine seconds remaining, but Samuels sealed the game with a free throw.
For Clemson, Taylor Johnson-Matthews recorded 16 points, while Raven Thompson contributed 11 points and pulled down 12 rebounds.
Coach Sean Poppy expressed a mix of pride and disappointment, stating that it was unfortunate, but Southern California had been “one possession, one point, one second better” than his team on that day.
Looking Ahead
USC will meet South Carolina again; the teams previously faced each other in Los Angeles back in November, with South Carolina winning that match 69-52.
