South Carolina women’s basketball secured a narrow victory against the Southern California Trojans at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Sunday.
The game remained competitive until the final moments, when Gamecocks guard Jordan Lee executed a chase-down block on star USC guard JuJu Watkins, as noted by South Carolina women’s basketball coverage.
The defensive play maintained a two-point lead for South Carolina with 15 seconds remaining on the game clock.
Following the block, Trojans coach Lindsay Gottlieb called a timeout to organize an inbounds play, believing her team would retain possession of the ball.
However, South Carolina coach Dawn Staley decided to intervene after receiving information from her staff.
Staley consulted with video coordinator Hudson Jacobs, who suggested that the ball had last touched Watkins before going out of bounds, according to reporting from Yahoo Sports.
Staley acted on this advice and issued a challenge that ultimately shifted the momentum of the contest.
Reflecting on the pivotal decision during her post-game remarks, Staley described the move as the most significant moment of the matchup.
“I got word that we should challenge, and we challenged in that moment, and it was truly the play of the game,” Staley said.
She further explained that her primary defensive focus at the time was preventing an outside shot from the Trojans.
The successful challenge allowed South Carolina to maintain its advantage, effectively closing out the game against the visiting Southern California team.
The victory highlighted the importance of real-time video coordination and coaching decisions in high-stakes collegiate basketball environments, as reported by local sports outlets.