LOS ANGELES (Interstat) — In a commanding display of defensive pressure and offensive firepower, the Southern California Women of Troy overwhelmed the visiting Pepperdine Waves 82-52 in a non-conference women’s basketball game Friday night at a lively Galen Center.

A crowd of 3,866 watched as Southern California used a dominant first half to build an insurmountable lead, improving its season record to 5-2. Pepperdine, unable to match the Women of Troy’s intensity, saw its four-game winning streak snapped and fell to 4-2.

The game was effectively decided in the opening 20 minutes. Southern California raced out to a 21-10 lead after the first quarter and then exploded for 26 points in the second period, taking a 47-26 advantage into halftime. The Waves struggled to find any offensive rhythm against the Women of Troy’s stifling defense, which forced a cascade of turnovers and converted them into easy scoring opportunities.

The statistical disparity told the story of the lopsided contest. Southern California’s defense was relentless, amassing 10 steals and 8 blocks while forcing Pepperdine into 16 turnovers. The Women of Troy capitalized on those mistakes, scoring 24 points off turnovers compared to just 9 for the Waves. Offensively, Southern California shared the ball effectively, dishing out 10 assists, while Pepperdine managed only 2 for the entire game.

Shooting percentages further highlighted the gap between the two teams. Southern California connected on 50 percent of its shots from the field, going 31 of 62. They were particularly effective from beyond the arc, hitting 10 of 25 three-point attempts. Pepperdine, by contrast, shot a frigid 34 percent from the floor and made only 1 of 13 attempts from three-point range.

Freshman guard Jazzy Davidson led the charge for the Women of Troy, stuffing the stat sheet with 18 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks in 30 minutes of action. She was complemented by the efficient scoring of Kara Dunn, who added 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field. Point guard Kennedy Smith orchestrated the offense masterfully, distributing 7 assists to go along with 9 points and 3 steals.

For Pepperdine, the offensive struggles were widespread. Elli Guiney led the team with 12 points and 6 assists, but shot just 4 of 13 from the field. Meghan Fiso was the only other Wave in double figures, scoring 11 points and grabbing 5 rebounds. The team found some success inside, scoring 32 points in the paint, but it was not nearly enough to keep pace.

The second half offered little drama as Southern California maintained its comfortable lead. The Women of Troy outscored the Waves 35-26 after halftime, with the Pepperdine offense never threatening to mount a serious comeback. The Waves’ offensive rating of 74.2 points per 100 possessions underscored their difficulties in generating clean looks against a swarming Southern California defense, which posted an elite offensive rating of 113.7 on their own end.

Southern California, coming off an 85-44 rout of Tennessee Tech, will look to continue its momentum when it hosts Saint Mary’s on Tuesday. Pepperdine, which had its four-game win streak that included victories over San Jose State and Northern Arizona snapped, will aim to regroup when it returns home to face California Baptist on Wednesday.