USC’s 20 Point Run Buries Cal in Conference Opener

USC’s 20 Point Run Buries Cal in Conference Opener
Perry Smith Jr. (12) of the Vermont Catamounts and Joshua Morgan (24) of the USC Trojans reach for a rebound in the first half at Galen Center in Los Angeles, on Nov. 15, 2022. Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images
Field Level Media
Updated:

Joshua Morgan scored 14 points, grabbed seven rebounds and powered a stingy Southern California defensive effort with seven blocked shots as the Trojans used a 20–0 second-half run to roll past host Cal 66–51 in the Pac-12 opener for each team on Wednesday, Nov. 30, in Berkeley, California.

USC (5–3, 1–0 Pac-12) raced out to a 13–2 lead after holding Cal scoreless for the game’s first 4:59, but the Golden Bears—seeking their first win of the season—clawed back in the second half.

Lars Thiemann’s lay-in midway through the second half pulled Cal (0–8, 0–1) to within three points, then after a USC missed shot, Kuany Kuany misfired on a jumper that would have cut the Golden Bears’ deficit to one point.

A pair of Reese Dixon-Waters free throws off his own offensive rebound on the other end sparked USC’s game-breaking run.

The Golden Bears went scoreless for 8:02 as the Trojans pushed their advantage to as many as 23 points.

Dixon-Waters scored 10 of his team-high 17 points during the decisive run, including making three free throws—part of USC’s outstanding 15–of–16 performance shooting from the foul line.

Morgan was a perfect 6–of–6 at the stripe, part of his all-around excellent performance. The seven blocked shots matched his most at USC, a high he set as a Trojan in this season’s opener against Florida Gulf Coast.

Morgan had an eight-block game while at Long Beach State in the 2019-20 season.

The center’s rim protection contributed to USC holding Cal to just 18–of–65 shooting from the floor. Devin Askew scored a game-high 23 points for the Golden Bears, but he went just 7–of–21 from the floor and 2–of–7 from 3-point range.

Thiemann, who scored 10 points, shot 4–of–11 from the floor, and Kuany went 3–of–11 for seven points.