USC Men's Basketball Falls To Florida Gulf Coast In Season Opener, 74-61
LOS ANGELES — Boogie Ellis scored a team-high 19 points, but it wasn't enough as USC men's basketball dropped its season opener to Florida Gulf Coast, 74-61, on Monday night.
The loss snapped the Trojans' seven-game winning-streak in their season openers.
Ellis also finished with three assists, three rebounds and three steals. Drew Peterson scored seven points, while Kobe Johnson, Joshua Morgan, Malik Thomas and Tre White each had six. Joshua Morgan had six rebounds and seven blocks.
Joshua Morgan throws it down off the pick and roll!
📺: @Pac12Network
📱: https://t.co/5K3SssET8S pic.twitter.com/2EukjNNAld— USC Men's Basketball (@USC_Hoops) November 8, 2022
It appeared USC (0-1, 0-0 Pac-12) was headed for another routine season opener when it built an 11-point lead at the midway mark of the first half. Florida Gulf Coast, which finished 22-12 last season, promptly began decimating the Trojans' lead with a 12-1 run. The Eagles briefly held a one-point lead with 2:23 remaining in the half before Ellis sank two free throws to give USC just a 30-29 edge at halftime.
The Eagles continued to overwhelm the Trojans immediately out of the break. A 9-1 spark put Florida Gulf Coast up five points. As USC struggled to score, the Eagles went on a 10-0 run that put the game out of reach.
The Trojans went on an 11-0 run in the game's final minutes but did not factor into the decision.
USC struggled to score from deep — making just three of 19 attempts from the 3-point line. Florida Gulf Coast meanwhile made eight 3-pointers on 27 attempts.
Eagles guard Chase Johnston led all scorers with 20 points. Isaiah Thompson also had 16 for Florida Gulf Coast.
USC will have an opportunity to rebound from the loss on Thursday when the Trojans host Alabama State (8:00 p.m. PT/Pac-12 Networks). The Trojans will also face Vermont (Nov. 15) and Mount St. Mary's (Nov. 18) prior to their trip to the Bad Boy Bowers Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas.