USC's defense clutch in 65-61 victory over Washington

USC Trojans #0 Boogie Ellis is dribbling the basketball at the top of the key against the Washington Huskies #13 Langston Wilson in the Pac12 Tournament at the T-Mobile Arena. Photo by Jerry Kelly/T.G.Sportstv1.

LAS VEGAS, NV - The USC Trojans defense made some big plays in the last minutes of the game to help secure a hard-fought 65-61 win over the Washington State Cougars.

Boogie Ellis led the Trojans in scoring with 17-points, Isaiah Mobley, Drew Peterson, Reese Dixon-Waters all three with 9-points, Max Agbonkpolo 8-points, and Chevez Goodwin with 7-points.

The Huskies leading scorers were Terrell Brown Jr. with 23-points, Emmitt Mathews Jr. with 12-points, and Jamal Bey with 10-points.

USC was very lucky to win the game committing twenty-three turnovers compared to Washington's only eight turnovers.

"We were just making ways up to turn the ball over," USC head coach Andy Enfield said. "We couldn't hold the ball. Three times the ball went straight through our hands. We couldn't catch it with two hands. We stepped out of bounds twice. We got trapped and panicked and just threw the ball to nobody. It's not like our freshmen were doing that. It was our upperclassmen. If they want to win more games in this tournament and the NCAA, they have to do a better job."

Washington led 3-0 in the first half with a three-pointer by Terrell Brown Jr, but the Trojans' Boogie Ellis tied the game 3-3 with his three-point shot.

USC led 8-5 with a jump shot by Max Agbonkpolo. Brown Jr. made a driving layup that had the Huskies down 8-7. the Huskies regained the lead 9-8 with a layup by Brown Jr.

Chavez Goodwin would make one free throw to tie the game 9-9. Boogie Ellis made two free throws to give the Trojans an 11-9 lead. Reese-Dixon Waters's jump shot made the score 13-9 in favor of USC.

The Huskies led 14-13 with a jump shot by Emitt Matthews Jr, but the Trojans took the lead back 15-14 with a jump shot in the paint by Agbonkpolo with 12:04 left in the first half.

Dixon-Waters layup had the Trojans leading 17-16. Ethan Anderson drove into the lane, and his floater in the paint made the score 21-19.

The Huskies would lead by three points, 26-23, with two free throws by Jamal Bey. Ellis's floater made the score 26-25. Washington led by five points 30-25 with a jump shot by Brown Jr.

Anderson had the Trojans trailing 32-29 with his jump shot in the paint with 4:18 left in the first half. Mobley would make a layup that had USC down by one point 32-31.

Washington Huskies #23 Terrell Brown Jr. goes up for a shot and is being challenged by USC Trojans #3 Isaiah Mobley and #0 Boogie Ellis at the T-Mobile Arena. Photo by Jerry Kelly/T.G.Sportstv1.

The Trojans trail 36-33 with a layup by Mobley. Brown Jr. would make a three-pointer making the score 39-33. Dixon-Waters jump shot made the halftime score 39-36.

USC trailed Washington in the second half 46-44 with a three-pointer by Ellis. Agbonkpolo gave USC a one-point lead 47-46 with his put-back basket and his free throw after being fouled on the play.

The Huskies led 50-47 with a lob-dunk by Matthews Jr. with 12:40 left in the game. Ellis would make a bank shot that had the Trojans down 50-49. Josh Morgan tied the game 51-51 with a reverse layup with 8:49 left in the game.

Drew Peterson would make two free throws to give USC a 53-51 lead. Bey would knock down a three-pointer that gave the Huskies the lead back 54-53 lead. Peterson would knock down a three-pointer that gave USC a 56-54 lead.

The Huskies tied the game again 56-56 with a dunk by Roberts. Mobley would make one free throw that gave the Trojans a one-point lead 57-56.

Ellis would make a left-hand layup making the score 59-56. PJ Fuller made two free throws and had Washington down by one point, 59-58 with 4:05 left in the game.

USC Trojans #13 Drew Peterson driving to basket from the top of the key in the Pac-12 Tournament at the T-Mobile Arena. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.

Peterson drove to the basket and made a layup to give USC a 61-58 lead. Mobley would make a layup that made the score 63-58 with 1:01 left in the game. The Huskies were down 63-59 after Cole Bajema made one free throw.

The Huskies were down 63-61 after a layup by Fuller. The play of the game with eleven seconds left on the clock, Brown drove into the middle of the lane going up for a shot that was blocked by Mobley, and the Trojans got the rebound.

"People always say defense wins championships, and we're a team that believes in that," Mobley said. "Down the stretch, I knew I had to step up and guard. It was big-time, money on the line, and we got stops. So happy for the team."

Dixon-Waters would make two free throws that would ice the game for the Trojans as they won 65-61 to advance to the semifinals against the UCLA Bruins.