It was another loaded Sunday in women's college basketball. Here's what you need to know about the busy slate:
Penn State stuns No. 9 Ohio State 62-59, claims first AP top 10 win since 2012
In a shocking upset, Penn State handed No. 9 Ohio State its first loss of the season with a 62-59 victory. The win marked the Nittany Lions' first victory over an AP top-10 opponent since 2012. The Buckeyes now stand at 17-1 overall and 6-1 in the Big Ten, while Penn State (10-9, 1-7 Big Ten) celebrated its first conference win of the season.
In the first quarter, the Buckeyes' defense held Penn State scoreless for more than five minutes, outscoring the Nittany Lions by eight points. However, Penn State quickly regrouped and mounted a comeback.
Ohio State was without starting point guard Jaloni Cambridge due to illness, and the absence was felt early. In the second quarter, the Nittany Lions opened with a 7-0 run, trimming Ohio State's lead to just one point.
Penn State's Talayah Walker and Jayla Oden led the charge, combining for 16 of the Nittany Lions' 30 first-half points. Penn State outscored the Buckeyes 20-9 in the second quarter, taking a three-point lead into halftime.
As the game entered the fourth quarter in a tie, both teams ramped up the defensive pressure.
Walker came up clutch in the final seconds for the Nittany Lions, blocking a three-point attempt by Ohio State. The Buckeyes got one final chance off an inbound play, but their attempt came up short.
The Nittany Lions' collective effort was on full display, with four players reaching double digits to propel them to victory.
No. 4 Southern Cal handles Indiana
No. 4 USC escaped Bloomington with a hard-fought 73-66 victory over Indiana, maintaining its unbeaten Big Ten record behind 22 points from sophomore JuJu Watkins.
The Trojans (17-1, 7-0 Big Ten) hit 21 of 24 from the line to hold off the upset-minded Hoosiers. Watkins scored eight points from the stripe and added six rebounds, while Kiki Iriafen and Kayla Marshall each contributed 14 and 13 points, respectively.
Indiana (12-6, 4-3) gave USC all it could, leading by as many as 10 points in the first half. Sydney Parrish posted a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Chloe Moore-McNeil added 13 points, including a go-ahead three-pointer late in the third quarter.
The game featured eight lead changes, but the Trojans gained control in the final frame with a 12-0 run. Indiana pulled within four points in the closing minutes, but USC's defense sealed the victory.
Despite shooting 39 percent from the field, USC forced 15 turnovers and scored 17 points off Indiana errors. The Trojans also out-rebounded the Hoosiers 38-35.
Indiana will look to bounce back Friday when it faces Oregon, while USC continues its Big Ten dominance with a home game against Michigan State.
Vanderbilt stuns Tennessee 71-70 in thrilling finish, secures first home win over Volunteers since 2014
In a dramatic, down-to-the-wire thriller, Vanderbilt (15-4, 2-3 SEC) stunned Tennessee (15-3, 3-3 SEC) 71-70, clinching their first home win over the Volunteers since Jan.12, 2014. The victory gave Vanderbilt their second conference win of the season.
The game started with both teams exchanging baskets, ending the first quarter in a 21-21 tie. However, Vanderbilt took control in the second quarter, outscoring Tennessee 16-5. The Commodores set the tone defensively, holding Tennessee scoreless for the final four minutes of the period while putting up nine unanswered points to take a commanding 37-26 lead into halftime.
Tennessee responded in the third quarter, gradually chipping away at Vanderbilt’s lead and outscoring them by two points, but the Commodores maintained their edge heading into the final period. In a dramatic fourth quarter, Tennessee went on an 8-0 run to tie the game at 57-57 with under six minutes remaining, setting the stage for an intense finish.
With just 36 seconds left and Vanderbilt trailing by one, Jordyn Oliver came up with a crucial steal, allowing the Commodores to call a timeout. Tennessee then fouled Khamil Pierre, who sank two free throws to give Vanderbilt a one-point lead. But Tennessee’s Rudy Whitehorn responded with a layup to put the Volunteers back on top by one with just four seconds left.
The Commodores had one final chance, and Khamil Pierre drove to the basket for a layup, but it rimmed out. Fortunately for Vanderbilt, Mikayla Blakes grabbed the offensive rebound and sank a quick, game-winning putback with less than a second on the clock.
MIKAYLA BLAKES WITH THE PUT BACK DORES UP BY ONE
— Vanderbilt WBB (@VandyWBB)
Blakes led the Commodores with 23 points, Pierre finished with 21 and Iyana Moore added 17. The trio provided the offensive spark needed to secure this victory over a ranked opponent.
Coincidentally, Mikayla Blakes’ game-winning shot mirrored the heroics of her brother, Jaylen Blakes, who hit a game-winner for Stanford in their win over North Carolina on Saturday.
