In the first quarterfinal match of the Pac 10 basketball tournament, USC beat California soundly, 70-56. USC continues to make their bid as a bubble team for the NCAA Tournament, while California will have to hope for an invite from the NIT. The Staples Center was half full on this weekday afternoon, where a hometown crowd cheered on their Southern California Trojans.
Maurice Jones had 16 points for the Trojans, shooting 6-11 from the field. However the leading scorer on the day was Allen Crabbe of California, who put in 21 points, as Cal’s regular season hero Jorge Gutierrez only contributed four points against a Trojan defense that dominated all but the first ten minutes of the game.
Trailing early, Southern California went on an 18-7 run to close out the half, putting the Bears in a whole they never came close to climbing out of. USC got white hot from behind the arc, making 8 of 17 three pointers. The Trojans were also beasts on the boards, grabbing 11 offensive rebounds.
The Trojans split the season series against the Bears, taking the game in Berkeley but losing the game in Los Angeles. USC now faces the winner of the Arizona/Oregon St. game, which tips off a 2:30 PST.
For more Pac-10 Conference Tournament news and updates, be sure to stay tuned to this StoryStream. For more news on each specific team, be sure to read the SB Nation blogs California Golden Blogs and Conquest Chronicles