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Jazzy Davidson glanced up at the basket, with less than two minutes remaining in USC’s Big Ten opener against Washington, and considered her options. Nothing had fallen all night from three-point range for the Trojans. It took 25 minutes Saturday just to see one three-pointer drop, and only two had dropped the entire night.

But the mere threat of the freshman pulling up from range, even on a night defined by defensive struggle, was enough to give Davidson the space she needed. She raced past her defender and toward the basket, lifting up for a finger roll lay-in that would propel USC past Washington for good in a 59-50 victory.

It was coach Lindsay Gottlieb’s 100th win with the Trojans.

All game long, No. 16 USC (7-2 overall, 1-0 Big Ten) and No. 21 Washington (8-1, 0-1) had battled, neither team ever managing to mount a double-digit lead. The Trojans seized the lead in the third quarter, but every effort to pull away was squashed by the Huskies.

A late flurry from a familiar face in former Trojan guard Avery Howell, who scored 11 points after the half, would keep Washington within striking distance until the final minutes.

But USC refused to back down. With under five minutes, Londynn Jones forced a turnover, dove for a loose ball and started a breakaway that was finished by Kara Dunn. Kennedy Smith hit a turnaround jumper in the paint on the next trip down. And then with less than two minutes, Davidson took off through the lane, extending the lead to five.

It was a furious end to what had otherwise been an ugly night offensively. USC finished 23 of 60 from the field after starting two of 17. It never quite found its stride from deep, either, hitting just two of 17 also.

Davidson would lead the way with 22 points, while Smith was the only other Trojan in double figures with 13.

Nothing fell for USC early on, setting the tone for a tough defensive battle. For the first 8:31, the Trojans were held scoreless. They missed their first 11 shots. Davidson missed her first five attempts.

But as its offense struggled early, USC’s stifling defense did its part to muddy up the game. After one quarter, neither team was shooting better than 16%. They combined to score just 12 points in the first 10 minutes.

USC would finally shake off the slow start in the second, as Davidson and Smith found their stride, shooting five of six in the quarter. The Trojans climbed back accordingly and tied the score just before the half.

They’d fly out into the lead a few minutes after that, never quite letting Washington catch up.

Over the course of USC’s undefeated start, with its star freshman still out, its leading scorer nursing an ailing shoulder and one of its best defenders down because of an injured hip, coach Eric Musselman still managed to make the best of his ravaged roster.

USC had won eight straight, sweeping its nonconference slate and winning its Big Ten opener at Oregon. It swept through the Maui Invitational, beating three real teams in the process. With every punch, the Trojans had been ready to punch back.

Then came Saturday, when a former Trojan delivered the knockout blow in the Big Ten home opener at Galen Center, ending USC’s undefeated start in the most painful fashion possible in an 84-76 loss to Washington.

USC led for all but six minutes and in the first half looked primed to run away with its second Big Ten win, leading by 18 at halftime. But it all came unraveled in the final 10 minutes as Washington scored 24 of the last 30 points to stun USC. It was Desmond Claude, the Trojans’ leading scorer last season, who propelled Washington to victory.

The Trojans still led by 10 with 10 minutes remaining, and after such a resounding start it seemed only a matter of time before they kicked back into gear. But they shot just 25% in the second half after making 50% in the first.

Chad Baker-Mazara led USC with 21 points but made only one of seven shots after halftime. Without him the offense dried up in a hurry.

Washington caught fire late, led by Claude, who had just four points in the first half but finished with 22.

USC cut Washington’s lead to three with just over a minute remaining. But Washington put the ball in Claude’s hands and he delivered, driving for a lay-in high off the glass and getting fouled.

The Huskies started the game in dismal fashion, turning the ball over seven times in the first seven minutes and making only two of their first 12 shots.

But those tides turned completely in the final minutes, dealing USC its first loss — and a brutal one at that.

It had been a performance impressive in its nothingness.

Zero points, zero rebounds, zero assists, zero steals and zero blocks in 15 minutes.

The only tangible statistical sign that UCLA’s Eric Dailey Jr. had played against Washington earlier this week came in the four fouls that he logged, which contributed mightily to his struggles across the board.

So it was encouraging for the Bruins to see their usually productive forward back to his old ways Saturday.

An early spin move leading to a turnaround jumper put Dailey on the board against Oregon, topping his total production from three days earlier less than three minutes into the game.

Dailey was just getting started. There were a couple of free throws after getting fouled on a putback attempt. A three-pointer after coming around a screen from Tyler Bilodeau. Another three-pointer. Another spin move leading to a turnaround jumper.

By then there were nearly eight minutes left in the half and Dailey was already well on his way to a big afternoon during the Bruins’ 74-63 victory over the Ducks at Pauley Pavilion.

Oregon center Ege Demir (16) puts a hand to the face of UCLA forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) while battling UCLA forward Steven Jamerson II for a rebound in the first half of the Bruins’ 74-63 win Saturday at Pauley Pavilion.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Finishing with 14 of his season-high 18 points in the first half, Dailey logged his latest excellent showing against Oregon after having averaged 20 points on 88.2% shooting during the two games between the teams last season.

As UCLA (7-2 overall, 2-0 Big Ten) tends to do, it had trouble closing out the Ducks (4-5, 0-2) after building an 18-point lead. Oregon was within 61-58 after guard Jackson Shelstad (20 points) pump-faked Bruins counterpart Donovan Dent (13 points, three assists) out of the way and rose for a jumper.

But three consecutive assists from UCLA guard Skyy Clark fueled a 7-1 run that gave his team a slightly more comfortable cushion. The Bruins were firmly in control a few minutes later after center Xavier Booker finished a give-and-go involving Bilodeau with a ferocious dunk.

The next step for Dailey, who made six of nine shots and grabbed eight rebounds, will be to repeat his performance from Saturday as he continues a search for consistency in his second season as a Bruin. He’s alternated single- and double-digit games over each of his last four games.

Dailey had plenty of help in pushing UCLA to a second consecutive victory while handing Oregon a fifth consecutive loss.

Clark continued his fiery streak from long range, making three of six three-pointers on the way to 13 points, and Bilodeau (14 points, eight rebounds) and Booker (12 points, five rebounds) were also productive.

UCLA reserve guard Trent Perry had two points in 10 minutes in his return from an ankle injury that had forced him to miss the game against Washington.

THE UK’s busiest airport has announced new rules for passengers arriving by car or taxi in 2026.

Anyone heading to the drop-off area at London Heathrow will face an increase in price – and will have to be in and out in 10-minutes.

London Heathrow Airport has changed its Terminal Drop-Off price and reduced the time that cars can wait for passengers.

From January 1, 2026, the Terminal Drop-Off Charge will rise from £6 to £7.

The new charge applies each time a vehicle enters one of the terminal drop-off zones.

To use the drop-off, drivers can either pay for a single visit or pre-pay for multiple visits online or by phone.

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If you forget to pay before using the drop-off area then don’t worry – but payment must be made by midnight the following day.

You cannot make a payment within the drop-off zone at any of the ticket machines.

Drivers can re-enter the drop-off zone – but each time you do this will count as a new visit and will incur another charge.

There will be fines of £80 for those who do not pay the charge which will be reduced to £40 if paid within 14 days.

The last payment increase was in December 2024 when the charge increased from £5 to £6.

Along with the payment increase, Heathrow is introducing a maximum stay time of 10 minutes.

This counts for all vehicles using the designated drop-off areas located directly outside each terminal.

Previously there was no time limit in the drop-off areas, but the 10-minute maximum stay is being introduced to ease congestion and improve traffic flow.

On the new drop-off timing rules a Heathrow spokesperson said: “We have introduced a 10-minute maximum stay to smooth traffic flow and reduce congestion.

“95% of passenger visits are under 10 minutes so we expect minimal impact.”

This makes it one of the most expensive airport charges in the UK – London Stansted currently charges £7 for drop off but has a 15 minute time window.

A Heathrow spokesperson said: “This change brings Heathrow’s Terminal Drop-Off Charge (TDOC) in line with other major UK airports and plays a key role in our sustainability strategy.

“It helps reduce congestion, encourages public transport use, and ensures our forecourts are used for their intended purpose. Free drop-off and pick-up options remain available for all terminals at all our Park & Ride car parks.”

In 2025, London Heathrow moved one step closer to opening its third runway under the Government’s £29billion expansion plans.

The major new upgrade is set to be operational in the next 10 years.

This is the same estimation of costs predicted in 2014 of £14billion, when adjusted for inflation.

The new 3,500-metre runway will be in the north-west of the busy UK airport, and when fully operational could welcome up to 276,000 new flights a year.

This takes the annual flights from 480,000 to 756,000, with as many as 30 new flight routes a day.

These could be by budget airlines like easyJet who have expressed desires to launch from London Heathrow with the expansion.

For more on airports, this major UK airport is getting a £60million terminal overhaul, and it even includes a hidden speakeasy bar.

Plus, these two major UK airports will be much easier to travel to – after thousands caught out with strict £100 fines.