LOS ANGELES — McKenzie Forbes nabbed a loose ball and sauntered downcourt with reckless intentions, because there was no shred of inhibition Friday night on the floor of the Galen Center, where the ball moved like water and changed hands faster than a Vegas blackjack dealer.
This was not the defensive-minded slop-fest of last weekend’s win at Oregon State. Opportunity came and went this Friday in the blink of an eye, No. 7 USC and No. 11 Colorado trading turnovers and 3-pointers breathlessly, the Pac-12 presenting a carousel of varying challenges and ruthless opponents. So Forbes dribbled down in this second quarter, already juiced off a steal and three earlier triples, ready to seize a moment.
A Colorado defender rose to meet her above the arc, hands high. No matter. Forbes pulled, no mind to the hand directly at her forehead, an audacious attempt.
Her three hit nothing but net, her fourth of the half. She bounded away, mean-mugging, shaking her head. As Colorado called a timeout, Forbes stared directly into the eyes of courtside legend Cheryl Miller, pounding her chest. And Miller stared right back and pounded her chest, a sign of respect for the fearless senior.
“It’s just the SC legacy,” Forbes said, postgame. “I’m just super grateful to be a part of this program at this moment in time.”
Freshman JuJu Watkins, naturally, has become a phenomenon unto herself, shattering further program records and further captivating the youth of Los Angeles in another statement performance against Colorado. But USC is in the position they’re in – 21-4, a game out of first place in the Pac-12, en route to one of the best years in program history since the 1980s – in large part because Watkins has landed in a perfect storm of talent who has rounded out the finite parts of her game in selfless complement to her.
Seniors Forbes, Kayla Padilla, and Kaitlyn Davis have all transferred from Ivy League schools where they had larger offensive roles; all…
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