Balanced scoring attack lifts No. 11 Gonzaga over USC 89-76
Ryan Nembhard and Dusty Stromer each scored 15 points and No. 11 Gonzaga defeated Southern Cal 89-76 on Saturday night in the Las Vegas Invitational.
The Bulldogs led wire-to-wire to extend their win streak to four since dropping a 73-63 decision to No. 1 Purdue on Nov. 20 at the Maui Invitational.
Graham Ike and Ben Gregg each added 14 for the Bulldogs. Gregg, who also grabbed eight rebounds, came off the bench to score 12 of his points in the second half when Ike was whistled for his fourth foul. Braden Huff added 12 points while Nolan Hickman chipped in with 10.
USC's Boogie Ellis led all scorers with 25 points and added seven rebounds. Freshman Isaiah Collier scored 14 for the Trojans.
Gonzaga built a double-digit lead early, opening the game on a 20-6 run by the 13:25 mark in the first half. The Trojans missed eight of their first nine shots and 13 of their first 20.
While USC had scoring droughts of four or more consecutive misses three different times during the first half, the Zags never missed more than three in a row.
The Trojans started to find their rhythm late in the half, hitting 9 of 14 down the stretch to get within seven at halftime, 44-37.
BIG PICTURE
USC: Freshman guard Bronny James took the floor for warmups with his teammates two days after it was announced he had been cleared by doctors for a full return to basketball, and just four months after he suffered a cardiac arrest.
Gonzaga: The Bulldogs have won 16 straight against Pac-12 teams. They can extend the streak to 17 when they travel to Seattle to face Washington next Saturday.
UP NEXT
USC: Hosts Long Beach State on Sunday
Gonzaga: Hosts Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Tuesday.
