Rodney Rice scores 27 and USC beats Boise State 70-67 in the Southwest Maui Invitational
Rodney Rice scored a season-high 27 points, Chad Baker-Mazara had 11 points and eight rebounds, and USC beat Boise State 70-67 on Monday in the Southwest Maui Invitational.
USC (5-0) will play on Tuesday against Seton Hall, which beat NC State earlier.
Rice split two defenders at the top of the key to get into the paint for a runner while being fouled with 14.8 seconds left in the game. He made the basket and free throw to give USC the lead at 68-65.
After the teams traded free throws, Boise State inbounded it with 4.2 seconds left and quickly got down the court for Javan Buchanan's good look from 3-point range that came up just short at the buzzer.
Rice made four of USC's 11 3-pointers, while Boise State went 5 for 25.
Buchanan led Boise State (4-2) with 18 points. Pearson Carmichael added 14 points and Aginaldo Neto 10.
Boise State trailed for 25-plus minutes, with its last lead at 59-58 at 2:57.