No. 16 USC defeats Colorado


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Junior guard Boogie Ellis dribbles the ball during USC’s game against Oregon last week.
Junior guard Boogie Ellis dribbles the ball during USC’s game against Oregon last week. Ellis added 11 points in the win against Colorado. (Patrick Hannan | Daily Trojan)

Senior forward Chevez Goodwin led USC, snatching a career-high 18 rebounds, while adding a team high 14 points. 

It was the first time the Trojans shot under 40% from the field this season, but their rebounding kept them in the game. USC totaled 47 rebounds, with 18 on the offensive end. 

Junior forward Isaiah Mobley had a quiet second half but tied the game at 50 apiece late in the half with a baseline drive to the basket. Both teams traded baskets until Goodwin and junior forward Max Agbonkpolo sealed the deal for the Trojans. 

After a miss from senior guard Drew Peterson, Goodwin got the rebound, pivoted and laid the ball in for two points. Goodwin then blocked a dunk attempt from freshman forward Tristan da Silva. With USC up 57-56, Goodwin was fouled by Colorado. He went 1-2 from the line, sealing the win. 

At times, both teams looked sloppy, turning the ball more than 16 times each. Colorado sophomore forward Jabari Walker had a game-high 5 turnovers. However, Walker was the Buffs’ leading scorer with 13 points, 6 of which came from behind the 3-point line. 

An early shooting foul on Peterson led to a da Silva free throw. Transfer junior guard Boogie Ellis scored the first field goal of the game, which occurred over two minutes into the matchup. 

Peterson and Ellis got into foul trouble early, each committing 2 personal fouls in the first half. Peterson struggled to get into his groove and went the entire first half without a basket, shooting 1-7 from the field in the game. Ellis shot well from the field and made it to the line twice on his way to an 11 point game. 

Colorado closed out the first half with an 8-4 run, led by senior forward Evan Battey, who had 7 points and 4 rebounds in the first 20 minutes of the game. Battey shot a deep 2-pointer to bring the Buffs within 2 points of USC. 

Ellis responded with a diving lay-up, but was called for an offensive foul. The Trojans had three offensive fouls in the first half. After a foul from Goodwin, Parker tied the game at 25 from the free throw line. 

Goodwin’s activity on the offensive boards defined the second half. After a quiet first half, the power forward had a hot start to the second, with Peterson finding Goodwin in the paint three times for the easy bucket. 

Colorado sophomore guard Nique Clifford had, arguably, the play of the game, with a powerful dunk over Peterson to brief scoring drought from the Buffs. 

A few minutes after Ellis was called for his fourth personal foul, Colorado hit back-to-back 3-point shots to take the lead. Sophomore guard Luke O’Brien and Clifford both benefited off of the fast break in order to hit their shots. 

Colorado made 46.7% of their 3-point shots. The team is shooting only 33% behind the arc this season. Da Silva and Walker led Colorado with two 3-pointers apiece. 

USC improves to 15-2 on the season and will travel to Salt Lake City to face Utah Saturday.