LOS ANGELES (AP) — Isaiah Mobley scored 21 points and tied a career high with 13 rebounds, Boogie Ellis added 19 points, and No. 20 Southern California opened Pac-12 play Wednesday night by rolling to a 93-73 victory over Utah.
It is the second straight game that Mobley has had a double-double. He had 18 points and 12 rebounds in Friday's win over San Diego State in the final of the Wooden Legacy.
Ellis scored 12 points during the final seven minutes of the first half as the Trojans went on a 23-7 run to take a 48-28 lead at halftime. USC (7-0, 1-0 Pac-12) started out 9 of 21 from the field, but made 13 of its last 14 to end the half.
USC's largest lead was at the end of the game. Max Agbonkpolo scored 16 points and Ethan Anderson had 11 points and eight rebounds.
Utah's Both Gach tied a career high with 28 points and David Jenkins Jr. added 21. The Utes (5-2, 0-1) have dropped two straight after winning their first four.
Branden Carlson — who came into the game as Utah's leading scorer — suffered what appeared to be a right ankle injury midway through the first half and did not return. The junior center had a boot on his right foot as he watched the rest of the game from the bench.
BIG PICTURE
Utah: The Utes had only eight scholarship players suited up Wednesday, making Carlson's injury the last thing first-year coach Craig Smith needs. The Utes are already thin with leading rebounder Marco Anthony (anke) and forward Dušan Mahorčić (knee) sidelined, along with forward Bostyn Holt (ACL) out for the season.
USC: The Trojans are off to their best start since 2017, when they opened the season 13-0. They outrebounded a smaller Utes 51-32.
UP NEXT
Utah: Hosts California on Sunday.
USC: Travels to Washington State Saturday.
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