USC defeat Clemson 71-67 in overtime following dramatic buzzer-beater review
Ninth-seeded USC defeated Clemson 71-67 in overtime to advance to the second round of the women’s NCAA tournament in Columbia on Saturday after a dramatic review ruled out a buzzer-beating shot in regulation.
Freshman guard Jazzy Davidson starred for the Trojans, scoring 31 points in a spectacular post-season debut.
The 6-foot-1 prospect played all 45 minutes of the contest and hit the decisive three-pointer with just over a minute remaining in the extra period.
Clock error denies Clemson
The eighth-seeded Tigers believed they had clinched victory when Mia Moore converted a running layup at the end of the fourth quarter.
Clemson players rushed the court in celebration, but officials intervened to review the final 4.4 seconds of play.
Replays confirmed the shot clock had failed to start properly when the ball was inbounded, resulting in the basket being waved off.
Davidson delivers in overtime
Clemson established a 64-61 advantage late in overtime before Davidson took total control of the game.
The team’s leading scorer sank a crucial tying three-pointer, then capitalised on an offensive rebound by teammate Malia Samuels to score the go-ahead basket.
Kara Dunn provided vital support with 22 points for a Trojans squad that has spent the entire campaign without injured star JuJu Watkins.
Watkins, who guided the programme to the Elite Eight in each of the past two seasons, continues her rehabilitation from a torn ACL sustained in last year’s tournament.
South Carolina test awaits
Taylor Johnson-Matthews paced the defeated side with 16 points, while Raven Thompson secured a double-double consisting of 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Morgan Lee’s late three-pointer brought Clemson within three points in the dying seconds, but a Samuels free throw ultimately sealed their fate.
The Los Angeles-based outfit will now face tournament overall top seeds South Carolina in the second round on Monday.