The third-seeded Trojans commit a stunning 23 turnovers (17 in the second half) but survive, 65-61. They will face No. 2 seed UCLA in a semifinal Friday night.
LAS VEGAS — Sometimes you win with incredible shooting. Sometimes you win by playing with elite execution and effort.That was the case for USC on Friday, as the third-seeded Trojans barely escaped the Pac-12 Tournament quarterfinals with a 65-61 victory over No. 6 Washington.
Max Agbonkpolo threw an inexplicable pass straight to Washington guard P.J. Fuller, who quickly scored a layup to make it a two-point game with 34.7 seconds left. But Matthews’ driving floater missed everything as Mobley stayed with him from the perimeter and Reese Dixon-Waters grabbed the rebound, hitting two free throws for USC to ice the game.
Brown led all scorers with 23 while Boogie Ellis led USC with 17, the only Trojan to hit double-digits. Mobley added nine points and six assists. USC’s offense did not have a smooth start, with four early turnovers leading to seven Washington points. On consecutive possessions, the Huskies were able to lure the Trojans into traps in the same spot on the court to draw turnovers.