National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Utah 84, Southern California 66
When: 10:00 PM ET, Thursday, January 16, 2014
Where: Jon M. Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
Officials: # Verne Harris, # Kipp Kissinger, # Hal Lusk
Attendance: 9231

Utah 84, USC 66: Delon Wright had 22 points, six rebounds, six steals and five assists as the Utes pulled away from the visiting Trojans in the second half.

Dakarai Tucker scored a career-high 18 points for Utah (13-4, 2-3 Pac-12), shooting 4-for-9 from 3-point range while also collecting six rebounds. Jordan Loveridge added 16 points and 6-10 center Jeremy Olsen held his own against 7-2 center Omar Oraby, scoring eight points on 4-for-4 shooting and contributing six rebounds and three blocks.

Pe’Shon Howard scored 16 points to lead USC (9-8, 0-4). J.T. Terrell added 12 points in in a reserve role, Strahinja Gavrilovic scored nine of the bench and Oraby finished with eight points, seven rebounds and two blocks.

The Trojans led by as many as six with just over eight minutes left in the first half before the Utes surged ahead by seven with 1:16 remaining. Utah settled for a three-point advantage at the half and put USC on its heels to start the second by scoring the first five points, prompting a timeout by the Trojans.

USC fought to stay within single digits, cutting a 12-point deficit back to seven with just under 12 minutes remaining. Wright intercepted passes from Oraby on two straight possessions, resulting in his fast-break layups that helped extend the lead back into double figures for good.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Tucker, a sophomore wing from Gardena, Calif., scored his previous career high of 15 points in his first career game last season against Willamette and didn’t score in double figures again until the 2013-14 season opener against Evergreen State. … Utah has won 12 of 13 games by double figures this season and came in leading the nation in scoring margin (plus-20.9). … USC G Byron Wesley came in averaging a team-high 17.5 points with at least 18 points in six of the last seven games but scored eight points to finish in single digits for just the second time this season.
Top Game Performances
 
Southern California   Utah
Pe'Shon Howard 16 Scoring Delon Wright 22
Julian Jacobs 6 Assists Delon Wright 5
Omar Oraby 7 Rebounds Jeremy Olsen 6
Pe'Shon Howard 4 Free Throws Made Delon Wright 10
Pe'Shon Howard 2 Steals Delon Wright 6
Omar Oraby 2 Blocks Jeremy Olsen 3
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Southern California 66 50.0 4-9 12-21 14 29 3 3 17
Utah 84 49.2 6-21 18-21 16 31 9 8 8