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Message: [QUOTE="JoePgh, post: 5195293, member: 1131"] How many people here would have predicted that USC would beat UCLA by 11 points after being down by 5 at the end of three quarters last night? USC won the fourth quarter by 24-8. I succumbed to drowsiness after three quarters, figuring that UCLA had the win in the bag, even though USC had led by as many as 14 in the first half. Obviously I want to watch the fourth quarter when I can find time. But the commentary said that USC managed to keep Lauren Betts in check in the second half simply by not allowing her to set up in the low post -- and she could not shoot reliably when she was further away from the basket. That's the way Geno usually defends big players, and it works quite well when the opposing big has a questionable jump shot or lacks the mobility to get past a single defender impeding her path to the basket. Since South Carolina this year does not have a dominant post, that specific strategy will not work for UConn on Sunday. But last night's game on the West Coast does show that unexpected things can happen in basketball if skill, luck, and preparation all converge when they are needed. [/QUOTE]