Huskies Fall at No. 17 USC
LOS ANGELES – For the second consecutive game, the Huskies started hot against a top-20 opponent before faltering down the stretch. This time, the Dawgs dropped a road tilt against No. 17 USC, 79-69.
Washington came out running to start the night, scoring its first nine points off transition play. USC looked to take PAC-12 leading scorer Terrell Brown Jr. out of the equation early, and Emmitt Matthews Jr. was the beneficiary, scoring a quick ten points.
BOOOOOOOOOM @THEDOOSKIE ??
?? https://t.co/OsNccG4pQI
?? @Pac12Network pic.twitter.com/lig6FREuph— Washington Men's Basketball (@UW_MBB) February 18, 2022
A deep three from Cole Bajema knotted the game at 20, but the Trojans finished the first half on a 22-5 run to take a 17-point lead into the locker room.
BOOOOOOOOM @colebajema22 ??
?? https://t.co/OsNccG4pQI
?? @Pac12Network pic.twitter.com/0hR9bZjNEC— Washington Men's Basketball (@UW_MBB) February 18, 2022
The Huskies cut the deficit to 12 midway through the second half, engineering an 11-0 run after switching to a man-to-man defense that flustered the Trojans.
Brown led the Huskies with 23 points. He and Matthews combined for 43 to pace the Huskies – the sixth time they've combined for 40 or more this season. Matthews' 20 point night is his highest single-game output since a 21-point effort in 2018.
Chevez Goodwin led USC with 24 points and nine rebounds. Drew Peterson added 14 as the Trojans remained tied for second in the PAC-12 standings.
Washington concludes their time in Los Angeles with a trip to Pauley Pavilion to play No. 12 UCLA on Saturday night (7:00 PM, FS1).