Desmond Claude scored a game-high 19 points as Southern California rolled to an 89-63 win against Montana State on Sunday night in Los Angeles.
Saint Thomas stuffed the stat sheet with 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals for the Trojans (7-4), who have won two straight games. Chibuzo Agbo added 12 points and Rashaun Agee came off the bench to score 10 points for USC.
Brandon Walker led the Bobcats (5-6) with 14 points. Jeremiah Davis chipped in 11.
A seven-day break between games didn’t slow down the USC offense, as the Trojans shot 53.1 percent from the field and 44.4 percent (4 of 9) from 3-point land in the first half.
It took the Trojans only 10:02 to virtually determine the outcome of the contest, as they opened the game on a 27-5 run. Agee highlighted the back-breaking burst with eight straight Southern California points, four of which came at the free-throw line.
Walker tried to get Montana State on track by converting a three-point play with 9:30 remaining in the first half to make it 27-8, but that was the closest the Bobcats would get in the period — and for the rest of the game.
USC saw its lead cut down to 19 once more at 31-12 with 6:34 to play before halftime. However, the hosts proceeded to score 16 of the final 25 points of the first half to carry a 47-21 advantage into intermission.
Southern California led by at least 21 for the entirety of the second half.
The Bobcats entered Sunday ranked 35th in the nation in 3-pointers per game (10.2) but couldn’t get anything going against the Trojans’ stiff perimeter defense. Montana State went just 5-for-22 from beyond the arc for the game (22.7 percent).
USC knocked down 6 of 18 3-pointers (33.3 percent) and finished at 50.8 percent overall (32 of 63).
–Field Level Media
