January 2, 1998

USC Defeats Arizona State, 68-55

LOS ANGELES - Speedy Kristin Clark sparked a roaring 18-4 run to open the second half and the Lady Trojans (6-4) opened Pac-10 play with a convincing 68 - 55 win over Arizona State Friday at the Lyon Center.

Clark scored all but two of her team-high 14 points in the second half, leading the way to USC's 9th straight win over ASU (4-6).

Kiyoko Miller and Tashara Carter added 12 each. Perhaps more importantly for SC, Carter, Center Adrain Williams and Tiffany Williams grabbed 10 rebounds each.

Center Rachel Holt scored a game-high 17 for the Sun Devils.

The Women of Troy seek a conference-opening weekend sweep Sunday afternoon at 2:00 against 8th ranked Arizona.

Quotes:

USC Coach Chris Gobrecht:
On tonight's game:
"The big albatross for this team has been boards. We've really struggled. Coming out in the second half and dominating the boards, that's huge. That makes a big difference.

Tashara and Adrain were huge. Kristin in the second-half...Kiyoko and Tiffany...they were the biggest parts of our game."

Previewing Arizona:
"That will be a much faster game. We need to get up and down the court. We're going to have to execute to win."

USC Guard Kristin Clark:
"In the second half I picked up my aggressiveness and defense. I started pushing the ball and up the court more like coach wants us to do.

I've been battling injuries all year. I've got two broken bones. My knee is not too good. It's very sore, at about 50 to 60-percent. (She also has a cold.) But I'm not broken down yet."

Notes:

Because of serious injury problems, only Kristin Clark has started in every game and her twin sister, Kim, is out for this weekend with a bad back.

Two starters, Adrain Williams and Jody Parriott have missed action. Another projected starter, Ericam mashia, is out for the season.

Two other major contributors, Tiffany Washington and Kyoko Miller, have also been sidelined.