LOS ANGELES (AP) – Drew Peterson scored 16 points and number 15 Southern California shook off a slow start to defeat Arizona State 78-56 yesterday.
The Trojans (17-2, 7-2 Pac-12), playing their third game in five days, fell behind by 12 midway through the first half. They missed 15 of their first 18 shots and committed eight turnovers in the first 14 minutes before turning things around.
USC closed the first half on a 21-2 run to take a 31-24 lead at halftime. A three-pointer by DJ Horne got the Sun Devils within 41-35 before the Trojans put it out of reach with
a 14-2 run.
USC’s largest lead was 25 late in the second half. Isaiah Mobley, Max Agbonkpolo and Chevez Goodwin added 12 points apiece.
It was the second straight game that Peterson led the Trojans in scoring. The senior had 23 points in last Saturday’s win at Utah and has shot 15 of 18 from the floor the last two games, including seven of eight on three-pointers. Marreon Jackson led Arizona State (6-11, 2-5) with 21 points – including five three-pointers. Jalien Graham had 15 and DJ Horne scored 14. The Sun Devils, who dropped five of six, were without coach Bobby Hurley and guard Jay Heath after both were suspended one game by Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff for verbally confronting officials after Saturday’s 79-76 loss at Stanford.
The Sun Devils shot 34.4 per cent from the floor (22 of 64), marking the third time in the past five games they shot under 35 per cent.
