Boogie Ellis and Isaiah Collier help USC fend off Brown upset bid
Boggie Ellis scored a season-high 28 points and Isaiah Collier had 24 to lead No. 16 USC to an 81-70 victory over Brown on Sunday at Galen Center.
The Trojans also received more good news as Bronny James warmed up with his teammates before the game, which was the first time he has done so this season. He has yet to make his college debut after he suffered cardiac arrest during a workout at USC in July.
Sunday’s victory wasn’t easy. Ellis scored 16 points in the first half for the Trojans (3-1) and was pivotal late in holding off the pesky Bears.
USC freshman Isaiah Collier scored a career-high 23 points, but the absence of Boogie Ellis hit hard during the No. 16 Trojans’ loss to UC Irvine.
He made a long three-pointer off an inbounds pass by Harrison Homery right as the shot clock expired to give USC a 79-70 lead with 33 seconds left.
“I honestly thought it was all net, but when it rolled in I was like, OK,” Ellis said. “But it felt good.”
A few moments earlier, Brown’s Felix Kloman was called for a foul and technical foul. Ellis made his two free throws and Collier made the technical free throws to give the Trojans a 76-70 lead. Those free throws proved to be the difference.
Ellis was two of six at the free-throw line in the first half and was shooting free throws when USC returned to the court before the second half.
The Bears (1-4) wouldn’t go away, not even in the second half. Kino Lilly Jr. made a three-pointer to tie the score at 66 with 4:54 left. After building a 15-point lead in the first half, the Trojans went cold from the field and the Bears went on a 14-2 run to pull to within three points at 35-32 by halftime.
Lilly scored 24 points to lead the Bears. The Trojans pulled down 42 rebounds, which was a positive, but Brown had 40 rebounds, including 11 offensive.
The injury-plagued Trojans struggled to close out the Bears, but they did enough to win.
“Our practices have been very inefficient the last two weeks because we have guys out of position,” USC coach Andy Enfied. “… It is challenging because we have so many guards out. We hope to get healthy and have some continuity in our practices.”
Up next for USC: Hosts Seton Hall on Thursday.
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