Poor shooting and turnovers helped UC Irvine beat No.16 USC 70-60 at the Galen Center

USC #1 Isaiah Collier (G) is going around a screen set by his teammate #33 Kijani Wright (F) at the Galen Center. Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs/TGSportstv1.

LOS ANGELES, CA - The UC Irvine Anteater led by Just Hohn with 25 points knocked off the No. 16 rank USC Trojans (2-1) at the Galen Center 70-60. The Trojans were without Boogie Ellis and Kobe Johnson due to injuries.

USC head coach Andy Enfield and all the injuries had to use players in different positions. The Trojans shot poorly, and only 17 of 59 shots from the floor for 28.8 percent, three-point range 4 of 21 for 19.0 percent, and committed 16 turnovers.

“We deserve to lose this game by the way we played, especially on offense,” USC head coach Andy Enfield said. It’s frustrating, I know our players are very upset, but it’s on me. I gotta figure out, even though we are short-handed, figure out how to have better practices and obviously how to execute better offensively during games.”

Isaiah Collier scored 23 points and seven turnovers, Harrison Hornery with 17 points and seven rebounds, and DJ Rodman was 0-8 from the floor.

USC took a 6-2 lead with a layup, two free throws, and a jump shot by Isaiah Collier. USC led 9-6 with a three-pointer by Harrison Hornery. UC Irvine would tie the game 9-9 with a three-pointer by Dylan Thoerner.

UC Irvin Anteaters #2 Justin Hohn is looking over the USC Trojans’ defense to make a pass to a teammate. Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs/TGSportstv1.

The Anteaters would take the lead 12-11 with a three-point jump shot by Bent Leuchten. That lead didn't last long, as the Trojans took the lead back 13-12 with a jump shot by Joshua Morgan. UC Irvin would lead 15-13 with a three-pointer by Justin Hohn.

USC led 18-15 with a three-pointer by Harrison Hornery with 7:52 left in the first half. The Anteaters trail 20-19 with a jump shot by Pierre Cockrell II. Crockrell II would give UC Irvine a 29-26 halftime lead with his layup.

Collier had 8 points to lead USC in scoring in the first half, followed by Morgan and Hornery, each with 6 points, and Hohn from UC Irvine was their leading scorer with 13 points.

 The Trojans shot poorly in the first half, making 8 of 22 shots from the floor for 25.0 percent and 2 of 11 from three-point range for 18.2 percent.

The Anteaters were 12 of 35 from the floor 34.3 percent, and from three point 3 of 16 for 18.8 percent.

UC Irvine led in the second half 31-26 with two free throws by Leuchten. USC had to call a timeout after the Anteaters led by ten points, 36-26, with 18:32 left in the second half. The Trojans trail 38-33 with a jump shot by Oziyah Sellers.

Enfield was jawing at the refs, got a technical foul, and now the Trojans trailed 41-35. USC was trailing by two points, 43-41 after Collier made two free throws.

USC forced UC Irvine into a shot-clock violation to get the ball back. The Trojans would trail 47-41 with a three-pointer by Dylan Thoerner. The Anteaters led by ten points again, 54-44, with a three-pointer by Leuchten.

Hohn was on fire, knocking down another three-point shot to give UC Irvine a 57-47 lead with 6:42 left in the game. USC would trail 57-53 after Hornery fouled on his three-pointer and made his free throw.

The Trojans were trailing 59-55 with a put-back basket by Hornery. Collier's floater in the paint had the Trojans down 61-58.

USC had to call time out when Devin Tillis nailed a three-pointer to give UC Irvine a 66-60 lead with 37.4 left in the game. After the buzzer went off, they knocked off the Trojans 70-60 to improve their record to (2-1).