Field Level Media
Jan 23, 2021
Isaiah Mobley hit a key jumper with 1:56 remaining and his freshman brother Evan Mobley (25 points) added a late-minute hoop and two free throws Saturday night, helping Southern Cal hold off California, 76-68, in Berkeley, Calif.
The Mobleys combined for 32 points and 18 rebounds for the Trojans (12-3, 6-2 Pac-12), who completed a long week on the road in which they suffered a 58-56 loss at Oregon State on Tuesday and had a game postponed at Stanford on Thursday because of a false positive COVID-19 test.
Grant Anticevich and Joel Brown had 15 points apiece for Cal (7-10, 2-8), who welcomed back star Matt Bradley from a five-game absence due to an ankle injury. He contributed 11 points off the bench.
USC led 35-34 at halftime before the teams played teeter-totter for the first 12 minutes of the second half, during which there were 16 lead changes and two ties.
Bradley produced the last tie at 59-all with 8:02 to go. But Ethan Anderson countered immediately with a jumper that gave the Trojans the lead for good.
Cal hung within 68-66 after a 3-pointer by Ryan Betley with 3:02 to go.
Isaiah Mobley's big hoop came more than a minute later after both teams had failed on scoring opportunities.
After Cal missed its next two shots, Evan Mobley grabbed an offensive rebound and dropped in a game-clinching layup for a 72-66 lead with just 35 seconds left.
Evan Mobley's 25 points were the game high, and he added eight rebounds. Isaiah Mobley totaled seven points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
Tahj Eaddy added 18 points and Anderson 11 for the Trojans, who won for the seventh time in their last eight games.
Bradley, who hadn't played since facing Oregon State on Jan. 2, came off the bench after Cal had fallen behind 13-4 in the first four minutes. He wound up shooting 5-for-14.
Bradley had a pair of hoops, including a go-ahead 3-pointer, in a 21-9 burst that turned an 11-point deficit into a 25-24 lead.
Cal lost its second straight, having fallen 61-57 to No. 24 UCLA on Thursday.
--Field Level Media