Runnin’ Utes go cold, lose to USC 62-49

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4 Sports) – The Utes men’s basketball team didn’t score a point over the final five-plus minutes and dropped its fourth straight game, losing at home to USC Saturday night, 62-49.

Boogie Ellis scored 16 points, Drew Peterson added 14 as the Trojans won their fourth in a row.

Marco Anthony scored 11 points to lead the Utes (17-13, 10-9), who have lost four straight. Branden Carlson totaled 10 points and 10 rebounds.

USC ties No. 7 Arizona for second place in the Pac-12 Conference with the win.

Utah played without starting point guard Rollie Worster, who injured his ankle in last week’s loss to Arizona State.

Ellis made 6 of 12 shots, including 4 of 8 from 3-point range, for the Trojans (21-8, 13-5). Peterson hit two 3-pointers and added eight assists and seven rebounds. Kobe Johnson finished with 12 points and three steals. Reese Dixon-Waters contributed nine points and six rebounds off the bench.

Ellis sank three 3-pointers and scored 11 points, Peterson added 10 and Southern Cal built a 34-28 lead at halftime. The Trojans shot only 39% overall, but they made 8 of 15 from beyond the arc. Utah shot 34% overall and missed 9 of 11 attempts from distance. The Utes had six turnovers to USC’s five, but the Trojans had an 11-0 edge in points off those turnovers.

Ellis buried a 3-pointer to open the second half and a dunk by Vincent Iwuchukwu gave the Trojans a 43-36 lead with 13:51 left to play. Anthony followed with a layup and Mike Saunders Jr. hit a 3-pointer to pull the Utes within two, but Johnson answered with a 3-pointer and USC maintained a two-possession lead the rest of the way.

The Trojans shot 42% overall but made 11 of 23 from beyond the arc (64%). Utah shot 32% and made 5 of 22 attempts from distance.

Utah went 0-4 against USC and UCLA this season.

The Utes close out the regular season on the road at Colorado on Saturday.