University Southern California Trojans
USC
16-6,8-3Pac-12
Washington State
10-14,5-8Pac-12
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington St. | 35 | 35 | 70 |
| Southern California | 37 | 43 | 80 |
February 02, 2023 | Men's Basketball
LOS ANGELES — Boogie Ellis finished with 23 points and Drew Peterson scored 20 as USC men's basketball pulled away late to defeat Washington State, 80-70, at home on Thursday.
The Trojans (16-6, 8-3 Pac-12) have won their last 11 games at Galen Center, including a signature victory against rival No. 9 UCLA on Jan. 26.
The win against Washington State (10-14, 5-8 Pac-12; No. 68 in NET Rankings) gave the Trojans another key Quad 2 victory toward their NCAA Tournament resume. USC, ranked 55th in NET Rankings, is projected to make the Big Dance in most major bracket projections as of Thursday.
Ellis was 5-of-9 from the 3-point line and grabbed five rebounds while dishing four assists. Peterson shot 8-of-13 from the field and tallied six boards, four dimes and two blocks.
Tre White contributed 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting. Vincent Iwuchukwu played a career-high 22 minutes and blocked four shots, after Joshua Morgan exited with an ankle injury in the first half.
Rock the rim, Big Vince!
— USC Men's Basketball (@USC_Hoops) February 3, 2023
📺: FS1
📱: https://t.co/HTngk5mMZE pic.twitter.com/DICRliqRSN
Down one point with 3:39 remaining, Kobe Johnson hit a 3-pointer to put USC up late. Reese Dixon-Waters' pair of free throws on the Trojans' next possession extendedthe lead, but TJ Bamba made a 3-pointer to keep the Cougars in the game.
After Ellis converted both of his free throws, USC got two key stops to effectively seal the game. Iwuchukwu blocked two shots that led to Peterson's 3-pointer. Johnson then forced a steal that contributed to Iwuchukwu's fastbreak dunk.
USC led 37-35 at halftime despite a slow start and Washington State's 13-2 that helped the Cougars take a 13-point lead midway into the first half. The Trojans quickly responded with a 24-6 run highlighted by two dunks from White and pairs of 3-pointers each from Peterson and Ellis.
11-0 run for the Trojans ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/jgGYwH41Ry
— USC Men's Basketball (@USC_Hoops) February 3, 2023
Mouhamed Gueye finished with 31 points for Washington State, which defeated USC in Pullman on Jan. 1
The Trojans conclude their three-game homestand on Saturday with a matchup against Washington (6:30pm PT/FS1) before heading on the Rocky Mountain road trip next week. Tickets to all USC home games start at just $20.
Big dubs … another chance on Saturday!@TreWhite19 | @smartfinal pic.twitter.com/sgw12RvIuM
— USC Men's Basketball (@USC_Hoops) February 3, 2023
