LAS VEGAS — Reese Dixon-Waters and Tre White each scored 16 points, but three-seed USC men’s basketball fell to six-seed Arizona State, 77-72, in the Pac-12 Tournament quarterfinals.
Kobe Johnson and Boogie Ellis both put up 15 points. Johnson also grabbed eight rebounds and totaled two steals while Ellis dished four assists. Drew Peterson finished with nine points and five rebounds.
The Trojans (22-10, 14-6 Pac-12) trailed by as much as 17 points early in the second. USC chipped Arizona State’s lead to four in the closing seconds but the effort proved to be too late.
The Sun Devils (22-11, 11-9 Pac-12) were the last team the Trojans faced prior to the Pac-12 Tournament, with USC winning 68-65 on Saturday.
The Trojans struggled in the first half, shooting just 25.9 percent from the field in the period while surrendering eight offensive rebounds to the Sun Devils. Arizona State took advantage of the early rebounding disparity and finished with 21 second-chance points.
Arizona State opened the game on an 8-0 run and controlled the entire first half. Ellis converted a rare four-point play with 10:09 remaining in the period to bring the Trojans within four points, but the Sun Devils went on another 8-0 spurt and made a 3-pointer in the closing seconds to go up 39-25 at halftime.
Good old fashioned four-point play from @BoogieEllis!
📺: ESPN
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— USC Men’s Basketball (@USC_Hoops) March 10, 2023
USC improved from the field in the second half at 57.1 percent and outscored Arizona State 77-72 in the final period. An 11-3 run early in the second half brought USC within nine points, but the Trojans couldn’t chip the Sun Devils’ lead any further until the 2:22 mark.
SHEESH REESE‼️
📺: ESPN
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— USC Men’s Basketball (@USC_Hoops) March 10, 2023
USC will await its NCAA Tournament fate during CBS’ Selection Sunday special. The Trojans were expected to make its third-straight Big Dance appearance heading into Thursday’s game.
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