First Victory Over USC In Five Tries

LOS ANGELES (Nov. 29, 2001) Big plays and a big game by key players was what it took for BYU's women's basketball team to defeat USC in overtime 75-73, Thursday.

Part of the big game by the Cougar team included four players in double figures, Jennifer Leitner's second double double of the season, and All-American Erin Thorn breaking into BYU's 1,000-point club.

After being down by as much as 13 points early in the second half of action, the Cougars battled back to within four 53-49 with 8:29 showing on the clock and tied it up at 54-54 two minutes later. Then as time was running out BYU's excellent free throw shooting (81 percent for the game) gave the Cougars a three-point 65-62 lead with a minute and a half remaining in the game. However, the USC Trojans came back with a strong effort of their own and tied it up 67-67 in the final seconds.

In the overtime period, BYU scored eight points to USC's six to give the visiting Cougars the three-point win, the first victory for the team over the Trojans in five tries.

"Everyone played very well for us and I'm very proud of our team," said Jeff Judkins, BYU's women's basketball head coach. "We had a big game from a lot of players especially in the final five minutes of regulation and then in the overtime period."

Erin Thorn led the Cougar team with 15 points and four rebounds. Junior forward Jennifer Leitner picked up her second double double of the year with 14 points and a team high 10 rebounds. Senior guard Stacy Jensen had 14 points with freshman Danielle Cheesman coming off the bench for her 10 points.

Forward Tiffany Elmore for USC led all scores with 17 points with three other teammates contributing in double digit scoring. The Trojans shot 34 percent from the field, 63 percent from the free throw line and out rebounded the Cougars 54 to 31.

BYU shot 39 percent from the field and shot 21 of 26 attempts from the charity line, a season high for the team.

The Cougars now 3-2 on the year return home for an instate match up against Weber State on Saturday at the Dee Events Center in a 7 p.m. tip off.

Official Basketball Box Score
Brigham Young vs USC
11-29-01 7 p.m. at Los Angeles, Calif. (Sports Arena)
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VISITORS: Brigham Young 3-2
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
21 Leitner, Jennifer... f  3-11   0-1    8-10   4  6 10   3  14  4  5  1  0  38
23 Rose, Chanell....... f  3-4    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   3   6  0  0  0  0  11
31 Osguthorpe, Lisa.... f  2-4    0-0    0-0    0  4  4   5   4  0  3  0  3  20
11 Thorn, Erin......... g  4-14   3-4    4-4    1  3  4   4  15  2  3  0  4  37
22 Jensen, Stacy....... g  5-11   2-4    2-2    0  0  0   3  14  0  1  0  1  34
12 Pearson, Melanie....    3-5    1-1    0-0    2  1  3   3   7  0  0  0  1  26
20 Larson, Brittany....    0-0    0-0    1-2    0  0  0   1   1  0  1  0  0   2
25 Taylor, Kali........    0-2    0-0    1-2    0  0  0   2   1  1  0  0  0  14
45 Hansen, Lisa........    1-3    0-0    0-0    2  2  4   1   2  0  1  0  0  12
50 Cheesman, Heather...    0-0    0-0    1-2    0  0  0   1   1  0  0  0  0   1
51 Cheesman, Danielle..    3-8    0-0    4-4    1  3  4   4  10  0  0  1  0  30
   TEAM................                         1  1  2
   Totals..............   24-62   6-10  21-26  11 20 31  30  75  7 14  2  9 225
TOTAL FG% 1st Half:  7-29 24.1%   2nd Half: 15-27 55.6%   OT:  2-6  33.3%   Game: 38.7%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  2-5  40.0%   2nd Half:  3-4  75.0%   OT:  1-1  100 %   Game: 60.0%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  5-9  55.6%   2nd Half: 13-13 100 %   OT:  3-4  75.0%   Game: 80.8%    0
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HOME TEAM: USC 2-4
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
03 Elmore, Tiffany..... f  5-11   1-1    6-13   3  3  6   3  17  0  2  0  1  36
14 Krause, Carmen...... f  1-5    0-0    5-5    4  0  4   3   7  1  1  0  1  36
32 Hoffman, Ebony...... c  6-13   0-1    2-3    2  8 10   4  14  2  4  2  1  29
10 Cheeks, Jessica..... g  0-5    0-2    3-4    4  4  8   2   3  3  7  0  0  37
23 Hollans, Aisha...... g  5-15   1-2    4-6    3  7 10   3  15  2  2  2  0  35
24 Alexander, Ryane....    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   1   0  0  1  0  0  10
33 Woodward, Rachel....    5-15   0-3    3-5    7  3 10   1  13  0  1  1  0  21
35 Mitchell, Portia....    0-1    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   1   0  0  0  0  0   3
44 Gipson, Kim.........    1-2    0-0    2-4    0  1  1   2   4  0  4  0  0  18
   Team................                         3  2  5
   Totals..............   23-67   2-9   25-40  26 28 54  20  73  8 22  5  3 225
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 11-28 39.3%   2nd Half: 10-32 31.3%   OT:  2-7  28.6%   Game: 34.3%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  0-1   0.0%   2nd Half:  1-6  16.7%   OT:  1-2  50.0%   Game: 22.2%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 10-16 62.5%   2nd Half: 14-22 63.6%   OT:  1-2  50.0%   Game: 62.5%    2
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Officials: Clarke Stevens, Debbie Adams, Michele Duncan
Technical fouls: Brigham Young-None. USC-Gipson, Kim.
Attendance: 429
Score by Periods                1st  2nd   OT   Total
Brigham Young.................   21   46    8  -   75
USC...........................   32   35    6  -   73