Trojans have a lot on the line as they top Utah in two OTs
At first, Evan Mobley missing the last 13 minutes of the first half with foul trouble seemed like a bad omen in USC’s Pac-12 quarterfinal matchup with Utah.
Turns out, it was exactly what Mobley’s legs needed as the game extended to double overtime.
Mobley scored half of his career-high 26 points after regulation ended to lift the 24th-ranked Trojans to a 91-85 win over Utah, which missed its final eight fieldgoal attempts of the game.
Second-seeded USC (226) advanced to the conference semifinals tonight against the winner of the Colorado-Cal game that took place late Thursday night.
Isaiah White contributed 14 points while Tahj Eaddy and Drew Peterson each scored 13 to complement Mobley’s night.
But Mobley, the Pac-12 player of the year, had his fingerprints all over the game despite his early absence. He grabbed nine rebounds and blocked five shots. He set the tone after halftime with an early dunk after scoring just two points in the first half.
“I just stayed focused, stayed locked in, tried to encourage my teammates while they were playing without me,” Mobley said. “And in the second half just try to come in and attack. I was well-rested.”
The first overtime ended with seven-seed Utah (12-13) simply running the perfect play and making a perfect shot. Head coach Larry Krystkowiak called timeout to draw up a 3-pointer for Alfonso Plummer, who nailed it over the long arms of the 7-foot Mobley to tie the game.
Tahj Eaddy’s layup at the buzzer on the other end was too strong, and the game went to a second extra period.
“Sometimes it can be deflating if you think you won the game or had a great chance to win it, and that happened twice to us,” Enfield said. “Our players did just an outstanding job of staying tough, staying focused and playing winning basketball in that second overtime.”
But the Trojans couldn’t get out of regulation with the win due, naturally, to free-throw shooting.
Ironically, USC, which has struggled mightily at the line this season, started the game 17 for 21 on its free throws. But with 14 seconds left and USC clinging to a two-point lead, Ethan Anderson missed both of his attempts.
The next possession, Anderson was called for a foul with 2.3 seconds left and Ian Martinez hit two from the line to tie the game. White’s quartercourt heave clanked off the rim to send the game to overtime.
Still, USC went 12 for 16 from the free-throw line in the two overtimes to pull out the win.
“You have to step up in close games when they intentionally foul you,” Enfield said.
When Mobley went to the bench with 13 minutes left in the first half,
USC didn’t waver. After Utah took a four-point lead on a Riley Battin jumper, the Trojans went on a 9-0 run fueled by two Tahj Eaddy steals that turned into a dunk by Max Agbonkpolo and an Isaiah Mobley 3-pointer.
The Trojans’ first-half lead grew as big as nine on a White jumper, but USC settled for a five-point halftime advantage after holding the Utes to 40.9% shooting in the half.
“I thought they played really well without me,” Evan Mobley said.
Still, the Trojans accrued a lot of minutes. Isaiah Mobley played 46, Eaddy 44 and Peterson 42. It could come back to hurt USC in Friday’s semifinal, regardless who the opponent is.
But with a potential spot in the Pac-12 championship game on the line, USC won’t hold anything back tonight.
“Our guys are going to play big minutes again tomorrow,” Enfield said, “so they better be ready.”