UC Irvine leads the entire 2nd half and upsets No. 16 Southern California 70-60
UC Irvine guard Justin Hohn reacts during the second half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against Southern California, Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023, in Los Angeles. Credit: AP/Ryan Sun
LOS ANGELES — Justin Hohn was on the UC Irvine team that fell just short of upsetting a ranked Southern California squad two years ago.
Hohn and the Anteaters weren't about to let that chance slip away this time.
The senior guard scored 25 points and UC Irvine led the entire second half Tuesday night in a 70-60 victory over No. 16 USC.
It’s the second straight year the Anteaters (2-1) have taken down a ranked Pac-12 opponent on the road. They also won at Oregon by 13 points last season.
“It's definitely rewarding to get wins like this,” Hohn said. “We’ve got a bunch of guys that can make plays and we all trust each other, too. So it’s just step up, make the play, and guys did that.”
Hohn was one of several players still on the roster from the December 2021 game against USC, when the Anteaters had an eight-point halftime lead but lost by five.
“We played well enough in that game two years ago to win, but we didn’t rebound well enough," coach Russell Turner said. “I felt like the fight, the effort and physicality that we showed tonight against a bigger, more athletic team was winning stuff. We had a lot of guys doing that.”
UC Irvine guard Pierre Crockrell II, right, drives against Southern California forward Harrison Hornery during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023, in Los Angeles. Credit: AP/Ryan Sun
USC got within 61-60 with 2:49 remaining on Harrison Hornery’s free throws before the Anteaters scored the final nine points. Devin Tillis made a pair of free throws before drilling a 3-pointer from the corner with 37.4 seconds remaining for the pivotal basket.
“I couldn’t get one to go early. But I was able to get it when it counted,” said Tillis, who finished with eight points and 10 rebounds.
Bent Leuchten added 19 points for UC Irvine, which won for the fifth time in 49 games against ranked teams on the road.
The Anteaters had a 24-18 advantage in the paint and scored 10 points off 16 Trojans turnovers.
Southern California forward DJ Rodman reacts during the second half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against UC Irvine, Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023, in Los Angeles. Credit: AP/Ryan Sun
Isaiah Collier had 23 points and Hornery added 17 for USC (2-1), which played without guards Boogie Ellis (right ankle sprain) and Kobe Johnson (left knee discomfort) due to injury.
The short-handed Trojans shot a woeful 17 of 59 from the field. Joshua Morgan had eight points and 10 rebounds.
“They played a very good game and made some tough shots. But this is more about us. You can't expect to shoot 28% from the field and expect to be a good team,” USC coach Andy Enfield said.
UC Irvine led 29-26 at halftime and scored the first seven points of the second half. USC started to slowly whittle away and got within 43-41 with 15:04 remaining on a pair of free throws by Collier before the Anteaters pulled away again.
A 3-pointer by Hohn with 6:42 remaining gave UC Irvine a 57-47 advantage. The Trojans countered with six straight points, including a four-point play by Hornery.
BIG PICTURE
UC Irvine: This was the fourth win against a ranked opponent under Turner and the first against USC.
USC: Enfield's young squad looked disjointed without its floor leader in Ellis. The Trojans were held to 60 points after scoring at least 80 in each of the first two games this season.
UP NEXT
UC Irvine: Hosts Occidental College on Friday.
USC: Hosts Brown on Sunday.
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