USC beats Cal 82-74 to end 2-game skid with Bronny James making key defensive play
LOS ANGELES (AP) Bronny James is finding his way three games into Pac-12 play.
The Southern California freshman scored 10 points off the bench to go with three assists, two rebounds and a steal in an 82-74 win over California on Wednesday night.
In just his second home game since making his collegiate debut on Dec. 10, James came up with a big defensive rebound with 2.7 seconds remaining, got fouled and made both free throws to seal the win that snapped the Trojans' two-game skid. He didn't speak to reporters afterward.
“He’s starting to be more confident as a player and he’s starting to play his game,” teammate Kobe Johnson said. “When he first got back he was on a minute restriction and he was kind of antsy about what to do, but now he’s starting to get into his groove.”
James came back in with 1:27 remaining for defensive purposes. He had multiple deflections earlier.
“He’s very active with his feet and his hands,” USC coach Andy Enfield said. “He’s strong and he anticipates well. He played a very good game on both sides.”
Boogie Ellis led the Trojans with 15 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Johnson added 14 points, tying his career high with four 3-pointers, seven rebounds and five assists.
The Trojans (7-7, 1-2 Pac-12) avoided losing their first three league games since the 2014 season. They had dropped five of six, but beat the Golden Bears for the 11th straight time.
Cal (4-10, 0-3) trailed by 17 points in the second half before getting within five on Jaylon Tyson's dunk after DJ Rodman's turnover, capping a 5-0 run.
Tyson's 3-pointer cut the Bears' deficit to 78-74 with 29 seconds left. But he missed a 3-pointer with 16 seconds to go and Ellis came up with the rebound.
Tyson led the Bears with 23 points.
Cal has dropped 19 straight Pac-12 games since beating Stanford on Jan. 6, 2023, and 24 straight road league games since Feb. 12, 2022.
James has yet to crack the starting lineup in his six games so far as he works his way back after suffering cardiac arrest in late July. He made a bad pass inbounding the ball and then got called for a foul right after being USC's third sub into the game midway through the first half.
He scored six points playing eight minutes in the half, highlighted by a two-handed dunk off Isaiah Collier's steal and pass. James' jumper keyed a 7-0 run that ended the Trojans' scoring going into the break with a 37-29 lead.
James scored a career-high 15 points while playing a season-high 20 minutes in a loss at Oregon State last weekend.
BIG PICTURE
Cal: The Bears have been coming close, with six of their 10 losses by three points or fewer or ending in overtime. First-year coach Mark Madsen, the former Stanford and two-time NBA champion with the Lakers, dipped into the transfer portal to land Fardaws Aimaq, who played two years for him at Utah Valley. Aimaq was held to seven points, under his 16.4 point average, eight rebounds and eight assists.
USC: The Trojans were back home after playing four straight road games for the first time since the 2002 season. It seemed to do the trick behind a vocal crowd.
UP NEXT
California: Visits UCLA on Saturday.
USC: Hosts Stanford on Saturday.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | (Trojans gains possession) | |||
19:42 | DJ Rodman turnover (bad pass) (Keonte Kennedy steals) | |||
19:39 | +2 | Keonte Kennedy makes two point layup | 2-0 | |
19:25 | +2 | Joshua Morgan makes two point layup (Isaiah Collier assists) | 2-2 | |
18:52 | Golden Bears turnover (shot clock violation) | |||
18:42 | +2 | Isaiah Collier makes two point layup (Joshua Morgan assists) | 2-4 | |
18:10 | Keonte Kennedy misses two point layup | |||
18:08 | Fardaws Aimaq offensive rebound | |||
17:54 | Keonte Kennedy misses two point jump shot | |||
17:52 | Joshua Morgan personal foul | |||
17:45 | Jaylon Tyson misses two point jump shot | |||
17:43 | Kobe Johnson defensive rebound | |||
17:28 | Boogie Ellis turnover (bad pass) (Fardaws Aimaq steals) | |||
17:25 | DJ Rodman blocks Fardaws Aimaq's two point layup | |||
17:23 | Kobe Johnson defensive rebound | |||
17:18 | +2 | Isaiah Collier makes two point layup (Boogie Ellis assists) | 2-6 | |
17:01 | Jalen Cone misses three point jump shot | |||
16:59 | Golden Bears offensive rebound | |||
16:53 | +2 | Jalen Celestine makes two point layup (Fardaws Aimaq assists) | 4-6 | |
16:31 | +2 | Boogie Ellis makes two point jump shot (Joshua Morgan assists) | 4-8 | |
16:15 | +2 | Jaylon Tyson makes two point jump shot (Fardaws Aimaq assists) | 6-8 | |
15:56 | Isaiah Collier misses three point jump shot | |||
15:53 | Fardaws Aimaq defensive rebound | |||
15:41 | Kobe Johnson blocks Keonte Kennedy's two point layup | |||
15:41 | Golden Bears offensive rebound | |||
15:41 | TV timeout | |||
15:38 | Jalen Cone misses three point jump shot | |||
15:36 | Keonte Kennedy offensive rebound | |||
15:33 | Jalen Celestine misses three point jump shot | |||
15:31 | Keonte Kennedy offensive rebound | |||
15:30 | Keonte Kennedy misses two point jump shot | |||
15:28 | Boogie Ellis defensive rebound | |||
15:19 | Kobe Johnson turnover (bad pass) (Jaylon Tyson steals) | |||
15:00 | +2 | Jaylon Tyson makes two point jump shot | 8-8 | |
14:40 | Boogie Ellis misses three point jump shot | |||
14:38 | Fardaws Aimaq defensive rebound | |||
14:24 | +2 | Jaylon Tyson makes two point layup (Fardaws Aimaq assists) | 10-8 | |
14:02 | +2 | Isaiah Collier makes two point jump shot (Vincent Iwuchukwu assists) | 10-10 | |
13:31 | Keonte Kennedy misses three point jump shot | |||
13:29 | Golden Bears turnover (shot clock violation) | |||
13:05 | Vincent Iwuchukwu misses two point jump shot | |||
13:03 | Jaylon Tyson defensive rebound | |||
12:57 | +3 | Jalen Cone makes three point jump shot (Jaylon Tyson assists) | 13-10 | |
12:39 | +2 | Boogie Ellis makes two point jump shot (Isaiah Collier assists) | 13-12 | |
12:22 | Jaylon Tyson misses three point jump shot | |||
12:20 | Kobe Johnson defensive rebound | |||
12:12 | Kobe Johnson misses two point jump shot | |||
12:10 | Trojans offensive rebound | |||
12:10 | Bronny James turnover (bad pass) (Devin Curtis steals) | |||
11:57 | Bronny James personal foul | |||
11:56 | Jalen Cone misses three point jump shot | |||
11:54 | Kobe Johnson defensive rebound | |||
11:42 | +3 | Harrison Hornery makes three point jump shot (Boogie Ellis assists) | 13-15 | |
11:18 | Grant Newell misses three point jump shot | |||
11:16 | Boogie Ellis defensive rebound | |||
11:10 | Kobe Johnson misses three point jump shot | |||
11:08 | Devin Curtis defensive rebound | |||
10:58 | TV timeout | |||
10:46 | Grant Newell turnover (lost ball) | |||
10:30 | Harrison Hornery misses two point layup | |||
10:28 | Rodney Brown Jr. defensive rebound | |||
10:07 | Keonte Kennedy misses three point jump shot | |||
10:05 | Boogie Ellis defensive rebound | |||
9:58 | +2 | Bronny James makes two point layup (Isaiah Collier assists) | 13-17 | |
9:42 | Boogie Ellis shooting foul | |||
9:42 | +1 | Rodney Brown Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 14-17 | |
9:42 | +1 | Rodney Brown Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 15-17 | |
9:32 | Jalen Celestine personal foul | |||
9:20 | Isaiah Collier misses three point jump shot | |||
9:18 | Jaylon Tyson defensive rebound | |||
8:56 | +2 | Jaylon Tyson makes two point layup | 17-17 | |
8:34 | +3 | DJ Rodman makes three point jump shot (Isaiah Collier assists) | 17-20 | |
8:11 | +2 | Fardaws Aimaq makes two point layup (Jalen Celestine assists) | 19-20 | |
7:57 | Isaiah Collier misses two point jump shot | |||
7:55 | Jaylon Tyson defensive rebound | |||
7:41 | +2 | Jaylon Tyson makes two point jump shot | 21-20 | |
7:15 | Joshua Morgan misses two point jump shot | |||
7:13 | DJ Rodman offensive rebound | |||
7:09 | DJ Rodman misses three point jump shot | |||
7:07 | Jalen Celestine defensive rebound | |||
6:54 | Jaylon Tyson turnover (lost ball) (Isaiah Collier steals) | |||
6:51 | +2 | Bronny James makes two point dunk (Isaiah Collier assists) | 21-22 | |
6:47 | Golden Bears 30 second timeout | |||
6:50 | TV timeout | |||
6:30 | Rodney Brown Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Bronny James steals) | |||
6:28 | Boogie Ellis misses three point jump shot | |||
6:26 | Grant Newell defensive rebound | |||
6:16 | +3 | Jalen Celestine makes three point jump shot (Jalen Cone assists) | 24-22 | |
5:55 | +3 | DJ Rodman makes three point jump shot (Kobe Johnson assists) | 24-25 | |
5:22 | Golden Bears turnover (shot clock violation) | |||
5:11 | +2 | Boogie Ellis makes two point jump shot (Kobe Johnson assists) | 24-27 | |
4:49 | Fardaws Aimaq misses three point jump shot | |||
4:47 | Oziyah Sellers defensive rebound | |||
4:39 | Kobe Johnson misses three point jump shot | |||
4:37 | Jaylon Tyson defensive rebound | |||
4:34 | DJ Rodman shooting foul | |||
4:34 | Fardaws Aimaq misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
4:34 | Fardaws Aimaq misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
4:34 | Vincent Iwuchukwu defensive rebound | |||
4:13 | +3 | Oziyah Sellers makes three point jump shot (Kobe Johnson assists) | 24-30 | |
3:41 | Gus Larson offensive foul | |||
3:41 | Gus Larson turnover (offensive foul) | |||
3:41 | TV timeout | |||
3:27 | Kobe Johnson misses two point jump shot | |||
3:27 | Devin Curtis personal foul | |||
3:26 | DJ Rodman misses three point jump shot | |||
3:24 | Vincent Iwuchukwu offensive rebound | |||
3:20 | Vincent Iwuchukwu turnover (bad pass) | |||
3:06 | Jalen Cone misses two point layup | |||
3:04 | Harrison Hornery defensive rebound | |||
2:49 | Jalen Cone personal foul | |||
2:47 | Oziyah Sellers turnover (lost ball) (Jalen Cone steals) | |||
2:46 | Jalen Cone turnover (Oziyah Sellers steals) | |||
2:45 | Harrison Hornery misses three point jump shot | |||
2:43 | Keonte Kennedy defensive rebound | |||
2:27 | Jaylon Tyson misses two point jump shot | |||
2:25 | Vincent Iwuchukwu defensive rebound | |||
2:14 | Vincent Iwuchukwu turnover (lost ball) (Fardaws Aimaq steals) | |||
2:03 | +3 | Keonte Kennedy makes three point jump shot (Jalen Cone assists) | 27-30 | |
1:38 | Oziyah Sellers misses three point jump shot | |||
1:36 | Trojans offensive rebound | |||
1:24 | +2 | Bronny James makes two point jump shot (Boogie Ellis assists) | 27-32 | |
1:10 | Jalen Cone misses three point jump shot | |||
1:08 | Harrison Hornery defensive rebound | |||
1:05 | +2 | Isaiah Collier makes two point layup (Harrison Hornery assists) | 27-34 | |
1:05 | Grant Newell shooting foul | |||
1:05 | +1 | Isaiah Collier makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 27-35 | |
0:52 | Grant Newell turnover (bad pass) (Harrison Hornery steals) | |||
0:48 | +2 | Boogie Ellis makes two point dunk (Harrison Hornery assists) | 27-37 | |
0:22 | +2 | Grant Newell makes two point layup (Jaylon Tyson assists) | 29-37 | |
0:19 | Trojans 30 second timeout | |||
0:01 | Isaiah Collier misses three point jump shot | |||
0:00 | Fardaws Aimaq defensive rebound | |||
0:00 | End of period |