USC
8-9,2-4Pac-12
Colorado
12-5,3-3Pac-12
USC Men's Basketball Falls At Colorado, 68-58
January 13, 2024 | Men's Basketball
Oziyah Sellers scored a career-high 18 points off the bench, but it wasn't enough as a shorthanded USC men's basketball team fell at Colorado, 68-58, in Boulder on Saturday.
The Trojans (8-9, 2-4 Pac-12) missed three starters in leading scorer Boogie Ellis (hamstring), assists leader Isaiah Collier (hand) and top shot blocker Joshua Morgan (illness) and were forced to go deep in their rotation.
Sellers tied his career-high just before halftime but scored just two points in the second half. DJ Rodman and Vincent Iwuchukwu each scored 10 points. Arrinten Page grabbed six rebounds in 21 minutes. Bronny James made his first start of the season and played a season-high 25 points.
Despite the 10-point loss, USC led for 26 of the game's 40 minutes and led by 16 points with 8:42 remaining in the first half when Sellers led the Trojans on a 19-2 run. Cody Williams made a buzzer-beating layup for Colorado (12-5, 3-3 Pac-12) but the Trojans still had a 10-point lead at halftime.
.@OziyahSellers is the first Trojan in double figures after this triple!
— USC Men's Basketball (@USC_Hoops) January 14, 2024
📺: ESPN2
📱: https://t.co/cGFArRk5LD pic.twitter.com/q2R3TKANZ7
The Buffaloes immediately started their comeback in the second half with a 10-2 run and eventually took the lead at the 10:34 mark. The Trojans were still in striking distance late in the second half, but Williams' layup and a 3-pointer from KJ Simpson with 1:10 remaining effectively put the game out of reach.
USC shot just 24.1 percent and committed 10 turnovers in the second half.
The Trojans continue a difficult stretch Wednesday against No. 8 Arizona followed by a game at Arizona State on Saturday. USC returns to the Galen Center on Jan. 27 to face crosstown rival UCLA.
