USC beats Arizona State after a slow start 78-56

USC Trojans #0 Boogie Ellis (G) attempting a shot in the paint against the Arizona State Sun Devils defense at the Galen Center. Photo by William Johnson/T.G.Sportstv1.

1/24/22 LOS ANGELES, CA - The USC Trojans got off to a slow start in the first half but was able to put away the Arizona State Sun Devils 78-56 at the Galen Center.

With the win, the Trojans are in third place in the Pac-12 Conference with a record of (17-2, Pac-12, 7-2), and the Sun Devils fell to (6-11, Pac-12, 2-5).

USC had three players with 12-points Drew Peterson, Isaiah Mobley, and Chevez Goodwin were their leading scorers, while Boogie Ellis struggled shooting 1-9 from the floor with only 2-points.

Marreon Jackson led Arizona State in scoring with 21-points, Jalen Graham with 15-points, and DJ Horne with 14-points.

DJ Horne's three-pointer gave Arizona State a 5-2 lead during the first half. Jackson's three-point shot increased the Sun Devils' lead to 8-2.

The Trojans' turnovers were hurting them early in the game. Jalen Graham's floater had the Sun Devils up by ten points, 12-2. USC trail 15-8 after a made basket and a free throw by Chavez Goodwin with 13:06 left in the first half.

Arizona State Sun Devils #3 Marreon Jackson (G) going around USC Trojans #2 Kobe Johnson (F) at the Galen Center. Photo by William Johnson/T.G.Sportstv1.

Jackson's uncontested layup made the score 17-8. Graham was fouled on his put-back basket and made his free throw to give Arizona State a 20-8. USC trailed by six points 22-16 after a three-pointer by Isaiah Mobley.

Mobley would tie the game 22-22 with a deep three-point shot with 4:10 left in the first half. Boogie Ellis's jump shot gave USC their first lead 24-22.

Drew Peterson's reverse layup made the score 26-22. Graham's layup had the Sun Devils trailing 26-24.

USC led at halftime 31-24 after a three-pointer by Kobe Johnson. Peterson led the Trojans in scoring with 9-points, followed by Mobley with 8-points. The Trojans committed ten turnovers in the first half.

Jackson led Arizona State in scoring with 10-points and Graham with 9-points. The Sun Devils had only one turnover during the first half.

Goodwin gave the Trojans a 33-24 lead in the second half. Horne's layup had the Sun Devils down 33-29. USC led 41-32 after a jump shot and a free throw by Goodwin.

Horne kept the Sun Devils in the game with another three-pointer making the score 41-35. Mobley's monster dunk made the score 43-35. Isaiah White made two free throws to increase USC's lead to 47-35.

USC Trojans #13 Drew Peterson (G) two-handed dunk at the Galen Center. Photo by William Johnson/T.G.Sportstv1

Peterson's two-handed dunk had the Trojans up 49-37 with 10:16 left in the game. Mobley would make two free throws that gave the Trojans a 53-37 lead.

Goodwin's dunk made the score 55-37, but one of the officials called a technical foul for hanging on the rim, and Arizona State made the free throwing that made the score 55-38.

USC led Arizona State 63-39 after White's one-hand power dunk with 7:41 left in the game. Max Agbonkpolo's right-hand layup made the score 67-42.

Graham's back-to-back baskets had Arizona State trailing 68-49 with 3:00 minutes left in the game.

White would make two more free throws to increase the Trojans' lead to 72-51.

Boubacar Coulibaly broke loose for a break-away monster two-handed dunk that gave USC a 74-51 lead. The Trojans closed out the game with a 78-56 victory in the Pac-12 Conference.