San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
TROJANS GO AGGRESSIVE TO BEAT TECH
Southern California passed up shots early, took a few bad ones, and threw weak passes that Georgia Tech’s players easily picked off.
Once the Trojans became more aggressive, the Yellow Jackets couldn’t stop them.
Boogie Ellis (Mission Bay) scored 16 points, Drew Peterson added 14 and No. 10 USC overcame a shaky start to beat Georgia Tech 67-53 on Saturday in the Colangelo Classic in Phoenix.
“Our players just have to keep shooting,” USC coach Andy Enfield said. “We were hesitant early in the game, turned down some open shots to drive it, then we were hesitant with our passing. Once we were more aggressive and flowed into a good offensive rhythm, I thought we played really well.”
The Trojans (11-0) needed some time to solve Georgia Tech’s aggressive zone, relying on their defense early before pulling away from the Yellow Jackets.
USC went on a big run to lead by nine at halftime and kept making shots in the second to remain undefeated.
Ellis was the ringleader, hitting 7 of 14 shots and grabbing seven rebounds after scoring 19 points the four previous games combined.
“It was just realizing I can’t rely on my jump shot so much,” Ellis said. “Just taking what the defense is giving me. I feel like the last few games I haven’t really been getting inside the paint.”
Georgia Tech (5-5) has labored through a gauntlet of tough games, losing to Wisconsin, North Carolina and No. 19 LSU before arriving in the desert.
Iowa 94, Utah State 75: Sophomore Keegan Murray poured in a career-high 35 points and visiting Iowa breezed to victory in a neutralsite game at the Sanford (S.D.) Pentagon. Murray knocked down 13 of 17 shots from the floor with two 3-pointers and seven rebounds for the Hawkeyes (8-3), who snapped a three-game losing streak. Utah State is 8-4.
Missouri 83, Utah 75: Kobe Brown scored 27 points, Jarron Coleman hit a huge 3-pointer and host Missouri defeated Utah. In a game with 21 lead changes and 11 ties, Missouri (6-5) did not trail after Brown hit two free throws to cap a 9-1 run for a 69-66 lead with 4:14 remaining. David Jenkins Jr. led the Utes (7-4) with 18 points off the bench.
Washington State 82, Northern Colorado 56: D.J. Rodman got loose coming off the bench and scored a careerhigh 21 points on 6-for-11 shooting from 3-point range and Washington State (8-4) beat visiting Northern Colorado.
Texas A&M 83, Oregon State 73: Freshman Wade Taylor IV scored a season-high 19 points off the bench and Texas A&M defeated host Oregon State. Quenton Jackson, another reserve, added 16 points for the Aggies (8-2). Jarod Lucas led Oregon State (1-10) with a season-high 25 points.
Washington 64, Seattle 56: Emmitt Matthews Jr. scored 11 of his 17 points as part of a big run to start the second half, and Washington returned to the court for the first time in three weeks with a win. The host Huskies (5-4, 0-1 Pac-12) had not played since Nov. 27 due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the program that caused Washington to pause all team activities and forfeit a conference game.
BYU 89, Weber State 71: Alex Barcello had 23 points as visiting BYU beat in-state rival Weber State. Barcello knocked down 5 of 6 shots from beyond the 3-point line for the Cougars (9-2).
Grand Canyon 49, San Francisco 48: Jovan Blacksher Jr. had 23 points, including a late jumper that allowed Grand Canyon to hold off San Francisco at Phoenix. Yvan Ouedraogo had 16 rebounds for Grand Canyon (10-2).Yauhen Massalski had 18 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks for the Dons (10-1), whose 10-game season-opening winning streak came to an end.