Trojans blow 22-point lead
They squander 22-point lead after junior guard leaves early in second half.
Things go south for USC after an injury forces guard Julian Jacobs out in the second half.
SEATTLE — Andrew Andrews made a go-ahead putback with 25 seconds left and Washington erased a 22point second-half deficit to defeat USC, 87-85, Sunday in a Pacific-12 Conference game.
The Huskies (10-4, 2-0 in Pac-12 play) trailed, 66-44, with 14 minutes 18 seconds left before rallying. The Trojans (12-3, 1-1), who had won seven games in a row, played the final 16 minutes without junior guard Julian Jacobs, who sprained his left ankle.
“That was probably the defining moment for their team, because that kind of slowed them down,” said Andrews, the only senior in a starting lineup that features four freshmen.
Even without Jacobs, USC took an 85-78 lead on a layup by Nikola Jovanovic with 2:12 to play but the Huskies scored eight consecutive points for an 86-85 lead.
After Elijah Stewart missed a shot for USC with seven seconds left, Andrews was fouled on the rebound and made the second of two free throws to put Washington ahead, 87-85, with 4.2 seconds left.
Katin Reinhardt missed an off-balance jump shot with one second left and Stewart’s potential tying putback was ruled after the buzzer upon review.
Dejounte Murray had a career-high 29 points for the Huskies, including 19 in the second half, and Andrews finished with 24.
Bennie Boatwright, Jacobs and Jordan McLaughlin each had 15 points for the Trojans.
“After Julian Jacobs was injured, we had trouble with their pressure, with the fullcourt press,” USC Coach Andy Enfield said. “They sped the game up and that’s fine when we have Julian in the game, because that’s how he likes to play. When he was playing, we were controlling the tempo.”
USC, which led, 46-36, after the first half, went ahead, 66-44, on Reinhardt’s basket from the top of the key with 14:18 remaining. Washington responded with 12 consecutive points.
USC committed 12 of its 21 turnovers in the second half.