Snapshot: USC Trojans 85, CU Buffs MBB 65
Turning level: CU minimize a 17-point lead right down to 9 halfway by means of the second half, however the Trojans squashed the Buffs’ comeback bid with a 12-1 run.
Buff of the sport: KJ Simpson. The sophomore guard completed with 18 factors, six rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals with out committing a turnover.
What’s subsequent?: The Buffs host No. 4 UCLA on Sunday within the penultimate recreation of the common season (2 p.m., CBS).
A lot for developing with somewhat late season magic.
After the dramatic ups and downs of a wildly inconsistent season, the Colorado males’s basketball crew hoped a run of three consecutive dwelling video games to shut the common season would possibly give the Buffaloes an opportunity to gentle a spark going into the Pac-12 Convention event.
USC squashed these hopes.
Unable to gradual a hot-shooting Trojans crew the complete evening, CU dropped an 84-65 determination on Thursday evening on the CU Occasions Heart. It was the Buffs’ third loss previously 4 video games, whereas the Trojans secured a two-game regular-season sweep of CU for the primary time for the reason that 2017-18 season.
The defeat additionally secured CU’s first shedding document in league play since 2017-18.
The 2 losses this yr in opposition to the Trojans basically summed up the Buffs’ season. On Jan. 12 in Los Angeles, the Buffs held USC to a .426 mark — which was simply .373 after a 7-for-10 begin for the Trojans — however have been achieved in by 22 turnovers. On Thursday, the Buffs matched a season-low with simply six turnovers, however USC’s .569 subject aim proportion was the second-best mark by a CU foe this season.
“The one factor we all know in regards to the 2022-23 Colorado basketball crew by means of 29 video games is we’re not a constant group,” CU head coach Tad Boyle stated. “The 2 USC video games are the epitome of that. We’ve confirmed that by means of 29 video games. That’s simply who we’re.
“You let a crew come into your personal constructing and shoot 57% from the sector and outrebound you by eight, it’s going to be powerful to win a recreation. USC was the higher crew.”
The Trojans took management with a 13-2 run within the first half, ultimately constructing a 43-30 halftime lead. USC pushed its benefit to 17 factors with 14 minutes, 59 seconds remaining when the Buffs tried to make a run, scoring eight consecutive factors in an 11-2 burst.
CU received inside 9 factors on a number of events in the midst of the second half, however USC put the sport away with a 12-1 run that gave the Trojans a 73-53 lead.
Whereas USC was sizzling from the opening tip, taking pictures .630 within the first half and ending with an 8-for-19 mark on 3-pointers. Earlier this week, Boyle stated slowing the high-scoring USC tandem of Boogie Ellis and Drew Peterson on the 3-point line can be crucial. Whereas Ellis loved a robust recreation general with 21 factors, he and Peterson mixed to go simply 3-for-11 from the arc. Nonetheless, function gamers Kobe Johnson, Tre White and Reese Dixon-Waters mixed to go 15-for-22 general and 5-for-8 on 3-pointers.
“I feel it was simply defensive lapses,” CU guard KJ Simpson stated. “Plenty of it was simply off our ball-screen protection. We didn’t have excessive fingers. Passes have been simply going straight by means of the protection and guys have been extensive open. They’re Division I gamers. Simply because they’re not Boogie or Drew Peterson, they’re going to make a 3 if it’s open. We’ve received to do a greater job of simply rotating on protection and making that further effort to fly round.”
Simpson completed with 18 factors, 5 assists and 4 steals whereas having fun with simply his second turnover-free recreation of the season, however he completed 7-for-16 general and 1-for-5 on 3-pointers. Main scorer Tristan da Silva was held to 6 factors on a 2-for-9 evening from the sector, and the Buffs completed 6-for-28 on 3-pointers.
“I felt just like the final time we received beat like this was in Utah (on Feb. 11),” Boyle stated. “However I felt like in Utah we had some battle defensively. Though we didn’t guard like we’re able to guarding, we nonetheless had some battle. Tonight, I simply didn’t really feel like that battle was there. And I don’t know why.”
Southern California 84, Colorado 65
SOUTHERN CAL (20-8, 12-5 Pac-12 Convention)
Morgan 4-5 0-1 8, Ellis 7-16 5-6 21, Okay.Johnson 6-9 1-1 15, Peterson 5-12 0-0 11, White 4-5 1-2 10, Dixon-Waters 5-8 3-5 15, Iwuchukwu 0-0 0-0 0, Okay.Wright 2-3 0-2 4, Sellers 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 33-58 10-17 84.
COLORADO (15-14, 7-11)
da Silva 2-9 2-2 6, Lovering 4-6 1-2 9, Clifford 3-10 1-1 7, O’Brien 4-7 3-4 12, Simpson 7-16 3-4 18, E.Wright 2-6 0-0 6, Allen 2-8 1-2 7, Hammond 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 24-66 11-15 65.
Halftime — Southern Cal 43-30. 3-point subject targets — Southern Cal 8-19 (Dixon-Waters 2-3, Okay.Johnson 2-4, Ellis 2-7, White 1-1, Peterson 1-4), Colorado 6-28 (E.Wright 2-4, Allen 2-7, O’Brien 1-3, Simpson 1-5, Hammond 0-2, Clifford 0-3, da Silva 0-4). Rebounds — Southern Cal 41 (Okay.Johnson 7), Colorado 33 (Lovering 7). Assists — Southern Cal 12 (Peterson 6), Colorado 12 (Simpson 5). Whole fouls — Southern Cal 13, Colorado 16. A — 6,638.