USC men's basketball 'getting better as a team,' beats Utah 71-56
LOS ANGELES — With four players scoring in double figures, hot shooting from USC sparked the Trojans to a 71-56 conference win over Utah on Saturday night.
USC (13-5, 5-2 in Pac-12) shot 47.5% from the field. Boogie Ellis led the Trojans with 17 points, Tre White scored 13 points and Drew Peterson and Reese Dixon-Waters each finished with 11. Big man Branden Carlson led Utah (12-7, 5-2 in Pac-12) with 21 points.
"That was a good game for us offensively and defensively," USC head coach Andy Enfield said. "I thought our players played with great energy and made the right basketball decision most of the game on offense and then defensively, we played very, very well especially in the second half."
During one key sequence late in the second half, USC followed up three offensive rebounds with two straight Kobe Johnson layups to extend its lead to 63-54. USC outscored Utah 32-22 in the second half after leading 39-34 at the break.
"Everybody contributed tonight," Ellis said.
The Trojans won the rebounding battle 41-29. Josh Morgan grabbed ten rebounds, five on offense and five on defense, to go along with eight points. Kijani Wright and Dixon-Waters each blocked two shots.
"We're getting better as a team," Enfield said. "I thought our depth helped us tonight."
VINCENT IWUCHUKWU CONTINUES TO FEATURE
USC true freshman center Vincent Iwuchukwu made his first appearance as a Trojan in Thursday’s 68-61 win over Colorado after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest during a workout in July. He made his second appearance against Utah logging 6:15 of game action. Iwuchukwu recorded a rebound and assist. After not seeing the floor in the second half against Colorado, Enfield put Iwuchukwu into the game for a shift in the second half on Saturday night and loved what he saw.
"I thought Vince was terrific defensively in the second half," Enfield said. "He challenged shots at the rim in the lane and they missed about four shots over him."
USC will travel to Arizona to play its next two games. The Trojans will face off against No. 9 Arizona on Thursday and then against Arizona State on Saturday. The Trojans sit at third place in the Pac-12 following Saturday's victory.
