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‘She’s unique.’ Jazzy Davidson helps USC climb out of early hole and win fifth in a row

Their frustrating midseason slump was finally in the rear-view mirror, their season finally feeling back on the right track.

Any reservations about USC righting the ship after losing six of seven had largely been forgotten on the heels of a four-game winning streak. Victories over No. 8 Iowa, Rutgers, Northwestern and Illinois, two of which came on the road, had cemented its place on the right side of the NCAA tournament bubble.

But as the Trojans were reminded in a 79-73 win over Indiana at Galen Center, now is no time to get comfortable — even if Thursday’s victory had marked their longest winning streak of the season.

The Hoosiers certainly never let USC settle in, even as freshman Jazzy Davidson poured in another stat-stuffing performance that would have to carry a stagnant Trojan offense for much of the way. It would take an aggressive defensive effort, too, complete with 19 forced turnovers, to put Indiana away.

That it took such a hard-fought effort to escape a team that’s 3-11 in the Big Ten and was without the Big Ten’s leading scorer, Shay Ciezki, was not exactly reassuring, as USC (16-9 overall, 8-6 in the Big Ten) enters the final four games of their regular season slate. Two of those four are against top 10 teams, Ohio State and UCLA.

But where the Trojans might have slipped up earlier in the season, they held tight Thursday.

“We were tough where we needed to be when shots weren’t falling,” coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “Our confidence to get it done when it’s not always prettiest is something that we’re proud of.”

Outside of a stellar second quarter, Thursday’s win certainly would not be remembered for being aesthetically pleasing. Over the rest of the game, Trojans shot under 32% from the floor. Their issues from three-point range persisted, as they made just three of 19 from behind the arc. Over their last four games, they’ve knocked down just 11 of 68 (16%).

They wouldn’t need them Thursday, not with Davidson looking as dynamic as ever. The freshman sensation followed up a career-high, 27-point performance with 24 points, along with six rebounds, three assists and three steals. She did so while playing all 40 minutes.

“You talk about overdelivering,” Gottlieb said, “To be a freshman and carry the load for us and continue to grow, the numbers are really showing it … she’s just capable of doing almost anything on a basketball court.”

That much has been abundantly clear over the last seven games, with Davidson as she’s averaging 20 points, six assists, five rebounds, two steals and two blocks per night. She credited that outburst with being more comfortable down the final stretch of the season.

The Trojans will likely go as far as their dynamic freshman can take them as March approaches. But of late that’s been a pretty successful strategy.

“She’s unique,” Gottlieb said. “I know there are several good freshmen in the country. We know how good she is. We see it every day, and we think there’s no one better.”

USC didn’t look early on like a team that had found solid ground . The Trojans went six straight minutes in the first without a single field goal, then gave up an 8-0 run to Indiana in the final 1:22 of the quarter.

It was until Davidson turned it on in the second quarter that USC seized control. Fresh off her fifth Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors, Davidson tallied 10 points in the second alone, while the Hoosiers had just 13 total, USC’s defense clamping down after a sloppy start.

With Indiana’s attention on Davidson, Kara Dunn and Kennedy Smith would help the Trojans fire out front, as they combined for 20 points after half. But the Hoosiers tied the score just one possession into the fourth quarter.

An elbow to the face of guard Malia Samuels gave the Trojans free throws and a seven-point lead with just four minutes remaining in the game. Still, a foul from Dunn on a corner three-pointer by Indiana’s Maya Makalusky opened the door for the Hoosiers.

Makalusky, who led all scorers with 29, hit another three to once again cut the lead to a single possession.

But USC held on, with Smith applying the punctuation mark, snagging a driving Indiana lay-in out of mid-air with just a minute remaining. It was the sort of play that reminded what USC might be capable of, with everything working in concert.

It’ll need that to be the case, if it hopes to make noise come March.

“We’re in position to do all the things we set out to do,” Gottlieb said. “We’re as good and set up as any team outside of maybe the top group to get a great seed.”

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Mel B puts on sizzling display as she soaks up the sun in thong bikini as her husband helps her apply sun cream

MEL B has put on a sizzling display as she soaked up the sun in a thong bikini as her husband helped her apply sun cream.

The former Spice Girl, 50, and her husband Rory, 37, are enjoying their honeymoon at the luxury five-star Shangri-La Le Touessrok resort in Mauritius.

Mel B has put on a sizzling display as she soaked up the sun in a thong bikini as her husband helped her apply sun creamCredit: Instagram
Mel showed off her incredible body as she posed on beach lounger in a tiny thong
Mel looked stunning in her bikini after a swim in the azure blue seaCredit: Instagram

Mel B took to Instagram with a series of hot snaps from her honeymoon and captioned them: “FINALLY!!!! We Disappeared for January and got lost In each other at a Mauritian magical heaven for our long LONG awaited honeymoon.”

In a cheeky video clip, Rory was seen smiling to the cameras as he rubbed his wife’s bottom with sun cream.

She also shared a cute selfie with her husband as they went out for dinner and dancing.

Another saw the loved up pair share a romantic kiss over dinner as they shared bubbly together.

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SCARY COINCIDENCE

Mel B used to babysit former England star and Match of the Day pundit

Mel also looked stunning as she flaunted her toned figure in blue thong bikini bottoms while sunbathing on the beach. 

The couple also shared snaps of them taking part in paddleboarding and diving into the sea.

In another sizzling snap, the singer showed off her incredible figure when in a tiny leopard-print bikini as she posed on a boat. 

Mel also looked beautiful last summer as she kissed her new husband Rory at St Paul’s Cathedral after their wedding ceremony.

The Spice Girl, stunned in a gown adorned with dazzling pearl detail around the collar and sleeves and a long flowing veil as she stepped out of the iconic venue in the capital.

Meanwhile Rory looked dapper in a tradition Scottish kilt as he kissed his new wife on the steps of the Cathedral.

The newlyweds then beamed as they headed down the steps and off to their reception in a horse-drawn white carriage, while their guests were transported in tradition red Route master double decker buses.

The couple shared a sweet kiss in the back of the carriage as they enjoyed their first moments as man and wife.

Ahead of the ceremony, fellow Spice Girl Emma Bunton led the star-studded arrivals, and was the only Spice Girl spotted in attendance, bar the bride herself.

Meanwhile, Mel has dropped a huge hint that the famed noughties girl group could reunite.

Mel B was spotted liking a clip about the Spice Girls getting back together after they officially split in 2001.

Speaking on the Shouldn’t Laugh But… podcast Laura Smyth suggested the only way Victoria Beckham, 51, could escape the PR “disaster” which ensued after her son Brooklyn’s explosive statement, is to get the group back together.

The Beckham’s estranged son accused his mum and dad of 12 blistering allegations on Monday – which seems to have put an end to any rumours of reconciliation.

But now Pop singer Mel B seems to agree with the podcast hosts as she dropped a cheeky like on the post.

Fans couldn’t help but see it as a sign – they went wild begging for a new album and a tour.

The loved up pair enjoyed water sports including paddle boardingCredit: Instagram
Mel showed her funny side as she joked around on the gorgeous sand as her husband watched onCredit: Instagram
Mel looked incredible last summer as she kissed her new husband Rory at St Paul’s CathedralCredit: Splash

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High school basketball: Ethan Hill helps lift Brentwood past Crossroads

Brentwood’s Ethan Hill was so sick before Monday night’s basketball game against Crossroads that he searched for an open urgent care to give him an IV.

By the game’s end, when Brentwood came back from an 11-point deficit to defeat rival Crossroads 70-60, the 6-foot-7 Hill was using all of his final energy to dance with the delirious student section that got loud and boisterous and helped inspire the Eagles’ rally.

“I feel horrible,” Hill said as he rested on the floor of the team room afterward blowing his noise. “I’m so fatigued.”

Somehow, he played the entire fourth quarter and made five consecutive free throws to help hand Crossroads its first Gold Coast League loss.

One hero for Brentwood was junior guard AJ Okoh. He finished with 24 points. Crossroads (14-11, 5-1) could not stop him from driving in the second half.

“One of the best point guards in the country,” Brentwood coach Ryan Bailey said. “He doesn’t back down from anyone.”

Brentwood (22-3, 4-1) lost to Crossroads 72-56 on Jan. 9 in one of its worst performances of the season. This time, the Eagles, in front of their home crowd, were determined not to let their former player, Shalen Sheppard, get out of the gym with a win.

The emotions twice resulted in technical fouls against Brentwood players for taunting. At the end of the game when the buzzer sounded, officials ejected Sheppard and Brentwood’s Ryan Howard when they got into a little wrestling match. Crossroads, which starts four sophomores, received 16 points from Evan Willis and 14 from Sheppard.

Brentwood fell behind 32-23 at halftime. That caused Bailey to give a fiery halftime talk.

“I was proud how they fought,” Bailey said. “We had a little halftime speech and they responded and the home crowd was phenomenal.”

Augustus Sugarman aided the comeback with two three-pointers and two free throws in the fourth quarter. There were seven lead changes to start the fourth quarter until Brentwood pulled away.

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