Broncos Fall at USC

"I thought we played well for 30 minutes.  Maurice Jones hit two late threes, tough shots and we had three empty possessions that resulted in a 12-point swing," said Bronco head coach Kerry Keating.  "I am proud of our guys for fighting against a good defensive team, they are better than a good defensive team.  We needed to capitalize on their turnovers and in the second half we didn't do that."

Santa Clara shot 43.5 percent from the field, including 36 percent from beyond the arc.  Santa Clara collected 29 rebounds, 12 assists, four steals and two blocks.  The Broncos were 10 of 14 from the free throw line (.714).  Southern California shot 57.4 percent from the field, including 54.5 percent from beyond the arc.  USC collected 32 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and two blocks.  The Trojans were 18 of 26 from the free throw line (69. 2 percent).

Individually Santa Clara was led by Kevin Foster's 26 points, including four three pointers.  Marc Trasolini added 15 points and nine rebounds.  Troy Payne put nine points in the basket and Robert Smith scored eight with eight rebounds.  Foster added two steals and Evan Roquemore had two steals and four points.

The Trojans were led by freshman Maurice Jones who scored 29 points (10 of 20 from the field).  Nikola Vucevic scored 22 with 11 rebounds and Bryce Jones added 15.

Prior to the game, the officials gave USC a technical foul for dunking in warm-ups and Kevin Foster sank two free throws so Santa Clara started the game with a 2-0 lead.  Trasolini scored under the basket as did Payne to give SCU a 6-2 lead at 19:10. 

Payne hit a free throw at 15:35 to make it 10- 8.  USC went on a 9-2 run before Trasolini hit a pair of free throws to make it 17-14 USC at 12:21.  USC scored five more points when Roquemore sank a three from the corner to make it 21-17 USC at 11:03. 

Foster's three at 9:52 made it 23-20 USC.  Vucevic scored two under the Trojan basket to make their lead five at 9:34.  He scored two and a free throw to give USC a 28-20 lead at 8:52. 

Foster sank a two-pointer at 8:43 and a three at 7:33 to make it 28-25 USC.  Timeout Trojans.  After a Maurice Jones basket at 7:10, Trasolini sank a wide-open three to make it 30-28 USC at 6:50.  Santa Clara had made five of eight beyond the arc at that point.

Smith made his first basket of the year at 5:51 to tie it up 30-30.  Dunate Smith hit a three to give the Trojans the lead back.  Smith got a rebound under the basket and made a 'big-man' move to sink a two pointer under the basket at 5:04.

Duante Smith picked up his third foul, a blocking foul on Foster.  Jones hit two free throws and then a layup at 2:44 to make it 37-32 USC.  Foster followed with a five-foot jumper to make it 37-34 USC.  Simmons picked up his third foul at 1:31 and hit the Trojan bench.

After sinking two free throws at 7.9, USC went to the lockerroom with a 39-34 lead.  Santa Clara shot 37.5 in the first half, including 38.5 percent from the three-point line.  Trasolini and Foster both scored 12 points.  USC shot 51.7 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from the three-point line.  Maurice Jones scored 13 and Simmons put in eight points. 

The teams traded baskets to start the second half when Smith's finger-roll made it 41-38 with 18:09.  The Broncos steal resulted in a five-foot jumper from Smith made it 41-40 USC at 17:45. Timeout Trojans.

Foster's three off a pass from Smith tied the game at 16:30.  Payne's put back three made it 45-43 Broncos. Timeout USC at 16:18.

Vucevic made a fancy move to the basket to tie the game 45-45 at 15:44.  Simmons picked up his fourth foul at 15:33. Foster stepped to the line to shoot two and sank both to make it 47-45 Broncos.  Jones tied it up 47-47 at 15:05.

Trasolini gave the Broncos a 50-47 with a swish from beyond the arc at 13:32.  The two teams traded the lead twice with the Trojans taking a 53-52 lead at 11:43 on a two by Maurice Jones.  Jackson's floater made it 55-52 USC at 11:16.  Jones sank two free throws and the Trojans added three more buckets.

The Trojans were in the midst of a 14-2 run from 13:32-9:08 when Foster sank a three to give him 20 on the night.  Jones hit a three and Foster hit a two-pointer bang-bang to make it 64-57 Trojans.  Payne tipped it in to make it 66-59 at 6:58.

Moving forward, the Trojans went up 11 on a free throw, taking a 70-59 lead at 6:15.

Cowels three made it 70-62 at 5:58.  Jones made a three at 5:20, 73-62.  Vucevic's dunk made it 75-63 Trojans.  Foster hit a dumper at 3:45 to make it 75-65 Trojans. Bryce Jones hit a three at the buzzer to make it 78-65 Trojans.

Foster sank two free throws to give him 28 points, 78-67 USC at 1:51.  Bryce Jones sank two free throws to make it 81-67 USC at 1:21.  Jones tacked on a free throw to give him 29 points and an 82-67 lead.

Dowdell laid it in over his head to score his second basket of the night.