Boogie Ellis scores a career-high 35 points in their 87-81 loss to No. 8 Arizona
USC Trojans Boogie Ellis (G) scored a career-high 25 points against the Arizona Wildcats defense at the Galen Center. Photo by Chanel Foster/TGSportstv1.
LOS ANGELES, CA - Boogie Ellis scored a career-high 35 points, Reese Dixon-Waters with 17 points, and Kobe Johnson with 14 points came up short and were defeated by the Arizona Wildcats 87-81 at the Galen Center.
Azuolas Tubelis led Arizona in scoring with 25 points, Courtney Ramey with 16 points, Kylan Boswell with 14 points, Kerr Kriisa with 11 points, and Oumar Ballo with 10 points.
The Wildcats' front court size cause problems for USC front court and Joshua Morgan got into early foul trouble in the first half.
"Their big guys are really big," Coach Andy Enfield said. "We probably, if we play this team again, we have to figure something out."
Arizona Wildcats #10 Azuolas Tubelis (F) taking a shot in the key against the USC Trojans’ defense at the Galen Center. Photo by Chanel Foster/TGSportstv1.
The Trojans led 5-4 with a three-pointer by Boogie Ellis. Arizona would regain the lead 8-5 with a three-point jump shot by Courtney Ramey.
USC retook the lead 9-8 with another jump shot by Ellis. The Wildcats would go up 12-9 with a layup by Azuolas Tubelis. Reese Dixon-Waters would tie the game 12-12 with a three-pointer from the left side of the basket.
Arizona would lead by seven points, 19-12, with a layup by Pelle Larsson. USC trail 19-14 with a jump shot by Ellis. The Wildcats led 26-14 with a jump shot by Ramey with 8:03 left in the first half. Dixon-Waters' layup had the Trojans down 24-18.
USC Trojans #2 Reese Dixon-Waters (G) shooting a jump shot from the right side of the basket at the Galen Center. Photo by Chanel Foster/TGSportstv1.
Arizona led by ten points, 30-20, with a jump shot byTubelis. USC trail 35-26 with a jump shot by Dixon-Waters. The Trojans would trail 38-31 with two free throws by Kijani Wright. Kerr Kriisa's three-pointer gave Arizona a 43-31 lead at halftime.
Ellis led the Trojans in scoring in the first half with 13 points, and Dixon-Waters, with 12 points, were the only ones carrying USC with scoring. Tubelis led Arizona with 15 points and Raamey with 12 points.
Tubelis gave the Wildcats a 55-41 lead with his layup in the second half. Cedric Henderson Jr.'s three-pointer pushed Arizona's lead to 62-51. The Trojans trailed 70-61 with a three-pointer by Dixon-Waters.
Johnson had USC down 76-67 after making a layup. Ellis's three-pointer had the Trojans behind 82-75 with 59 seconds left in the game.
Johnson would make three free throws to close out the half, and the Wildcats (25-5, Pac12, 14-5) beat the Trojans (21-9, Pac-12, 13-6) for the second time this season.