Isaiah Collier scores career-high 31 in USC’s victory over Washington
Freshman Isaiah Collier scored a career-high 31 points, including eight in the final 2½ minutes, and USC defeated Washington 82-75 on Saturday.
A three-pointer by Koren Johnson got Washington within 72-68 with 3½ minutes left, just three minutes after USC had built a 15-point lead.
Collier took over a minute later, scoring on four consecutive USC possessions on a series of driving, spinning layups and one-handers. The fourth of those baskets gave the Trojans an 80-75 lead with 28 seconds left. USC’s Joshua Morgan iced the victory when he blocked a corner three by Anthony Holland and saved the ball from going out of bounds. DJ Rodman came up with the free ball, was fouled and made two free throws for the final margin.
Trojans guard JuJu Watkins had 26 points and 12 rebounds while teammate Rayah Marshall contributed 15 points and 15 rebounds in a defeat of the Sun Devils.
Rodman and Boogie Ellis scored 17 points each for the Trojans (12-17, 6-12 Pac-12), who shot 54% for the game and made 12 of 16 free throws, all in the second half. Bronny James played 14 minutes off the bench and had three rebounds and two assists. He missed his only shot attempt.
Johnson led Washington (16-14, 8-11) with 21 points, making four of five shots from three-point range. Keion Brooks Jr. had 20 points and Sahvir Wheeler added 10.
USC did not allow a point in the first five minutes of the game and gave up only a Johnson free throw in the first five minutes of the second half while building a 10-point lead. The Trojans gradually increased their lead and a Rodman put-back gave them a 71-56 advantage with about six minutes to go before the Huskies rallied.
The Trojans had an early lead of 15-5 and later a 9-0 run in which Ellis scored the first seven points for a 39-32 lead with less than two minutes left in the half. Brooks hit a three-pointer for Washington and finished the half with three free throws after being fouled with a second left.
USC hosts Arizona State on Thursday and Arizona on Saturday.
Washington, which had won four of its last six games, will finish at Washington State on Thursday.
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