The lowdown: A back-and-forth affair early turned into a dominant first half for the Trojans as Chimezie Metu helped build an 18-point halftime lead.
Midway through the first half, two Elijah Stewart three pointers and contributions from Metu saw the Trojans race forward with a 10-0 run. Just a couple minutes later USC extended their lead when Metu took over, scoring eight consecutive points for the Trojans at one point.
Metu led all players with 14 points, shooting 6-of-7 while also pitching in five rebounds.
In the second half, Steve Alford’s team fought back into it during a Trojan dry spell.