Nov. 15, 1997

USC Women's Basketball Falls in Exhibition

LOS ANGELES -- The USC women's basketball team lost its second and final exhibition game of the preseason, 72-65, in overtime to Kilsyth of Australia on Saturday night at the Lyon Center in front of 275.

Junior guard Kristin Clark led the Women of Troy with 16 points and eight assists, while Kilsyth got a game-high 18 points from Sharyn Mullins.

"We need to be healthy," first-year USC Coach Chris Gobrecht said. "We need time to iron things out. We need to learn how to make our free throws."

USC led, 32-27, at halftime, and for nearly all of the second half until Kilsyth tied it at 55-55 with less than five minutes to play. The Cobras then took the lead until a short jumper by Clark tied it, 61-61, with seven seconds left, sending the game into overtime.

In the overtime period, however, Kilsyth outscored the Women of Troy, 11-4.

USC was just 18-of-35 from the free throw line, compared to 21-of-26 by Kilsyth.

The Women of Troy also got 12 points and nine rebounds from sophomore forward Tiffany Washington and 11 points and five assists from freshman forward Tashara Carter.

USC got back two players who missed the first exhibition game -- junior forward Adrain Williams (foot injury) and sophomore guard Kim Clark (soccer season) -- but was still without junior forward Jodi Parriott (knee), sophomore guard Erica Mashia (hip) and sophomore guard Kiyoko Miller (suspension).

USC opens the regular season on Nov. 25 at the Sports Arena against Long Beach State at 5:45 p.m. as the first part of a doubleheader with the men's team.