USC starts slow, but beats Idaho, 74-55

For half of a game, USC couldn’t figure out Idaho’s fullcourt press or its zone defense.

But the Trojans collectively rediscovered their shooting stroke in the game’s final 20 minutes, ultimately cruising to a 74-55 win against the Vandals on Monday night at the Galen Center.

“I thought our ball movement was better in the second half,” Coach Andy Enfield said. “We were hitting the shooters and open men. We got some dribble penetration and made some nice plays.”

USC (7-2) meandered around the three-point line for much of the first half, converting on just four of 14 attempts from beyond the arc. The Trojans also struggled with free throws, going four for nine. Idaho’s biggest lead was 28-21, but USC managed a 9-2 run to make it 30-30 going into the break.

“I was a little upset in the first half because the ball wasn’t moving like it has been for us,” Enfield said.

The catalyst for a revitalized USC offense was junior guard Katin Reinhardt (17 points, four of six on three-point attempts), who started in place of sophomore guard Elijah Stewart. That decision paid dividends almost immediately, as Reinhardt hit a triple and then assisted on another three-pointer during USC’s next trip down the floor.

“The last few games I was struggling shooting the ball,” Reinhardt said. “To see that shot go down gave me a lot of confidence to just keep it rolling.”

Afterward, Enfield hinted that Reinhardt might be in line for a bigger role moving forward. “Katin deserves to start,” Enfield said. “We have four guards that have been playing well all year. … I just felt like he was giving us certain things that we needed at the time, and I thought he played an exceptional game.”

Another catalyst for the Trojans apparently was associate head coach Tony Bland’s halftime speech. Bland, as freshman forward Bennie Boatwright put it, “got into” the team for its lackadaisical performance.

Boatwright, for his part, was as potent as Reinhardt, putting up 17 points, with all five of his converted field goals coming on three-pointers.

“When his feet are set and he’s taking open shots, he’s as good as I’ve seen, especially for someone who’s 6-foot-10,” Enfield said.

Junior guard Julian Jacobs had 11 points, as did junior forward Nikola Jovanovic. Sophomore guard Jordan McLaughlin was just two of seven from the floor, but he contributed seven assists and was able to play a team-high 31 minutes. That was welcome news after a broken nose sustained at the end of November had caused him some discomfort.

“He just got a new mask, so that really helped him out,” Boatwright said of his teammate. “He told me this morning he’d be ready to go.”

The Vandals (5-5) were led by sophomore guard Victor Sanders, who put up 17 points, though he did so on 18 shots. Senior forward Nahshon George was the only other Idaho player in double figures, with 11.

UP NEXT

Sunday vs. Yale, 1 p.m., Galen Center, TV: Pac-12 Networks — USC will stay at home for the second of five consecutive home games. Yale (5-3) has been tested early, losing on the road to undefeated Southern Methodist, 71-69.

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