Field Level Media
Mar 12, 2021
Freshman Evan Mobley had a career-high 26 points, including 13 in the two overtime periods, to lead No. 24 Southern California to a 91-85 win over Utah on Thursday in a Pac-12 tournament quarterfinal game at Las Vegas.
Mobley also grabbed nine rebounds for the second-seeded Trojans (22-6), who will play third-seeded Colorado on Friday in a semifinal game. The 23rd-ranked Buffaloes edged Cal 61-58 on Thursday.
Isaiah White tallied 14 points for USC before fouling out, Tahj Eaddy and Drew Peterson each scored 13 points, Isaiah Mobley had 11 points and seven rebounds and Ethan Anderson finished with 10 points.
Timmy Allen had 20 points and 13 rebounds and Ian Martinez finished with 18 points for Utah (12-13). Alfonso Plummer added 16 points and Mikael Jantunen had 10.
Allen, Martinez, Jantunen and Riley Battin all fouled out for the Utes, and Branden Carlson finished with four fouls. Utah finished the game with five available players.
In the second overtime, Plummer missed on a drive with 1:08 left, and Evan Mobley made a layup on the other end to give USC an 87-83 lead with 46 seconds remaining.
After a missed 3-point attempt by Utah's Pelle Larsson, Peterson made one of two free throws.
Carlson then missed a layup and Evan Mobley sank one of two free throws to increase the lead to 89-83 with 15 seconds remaining.
Following two free throws by Larsson, Peterson made two foul shots with six seconds remaining to seal the win.
With 1:35 left in the first overtime, Jantunen became the third Utah player to foul out when he was whistled for a blocking foul. Evan Mobley made one of two free throws to give USC a 78-75 lead.
Allen answered with a shot in the lane with 1:15 left.
Anderson, who missed two free throws late in regulation, converted two foul shots with 51 seconds left put the Trojans ahead 80-77.
Plummer then made a 3-pointer with 32 seconds left to tie the game.
Eaddy's drive to the basket banged off the backboard and Isaiah Mobley's tip-in attempt did not drop, sending the game to its second overtime.
Evan Mobley, the Pac-12's Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year, picked up his second foul with 13:35 left in the first half and did not return before halftime.
--Field Level Media