USC striker Evan Mobley plays in the second half of Wednesday’s game against Arizona State at the Galen Center. USC won, 89-71. (AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill)
USC striker Chevez Goodwin (center) ricochets off Arizona striker Jalen Graham in the first half of Wednesday’s game at the Galen Center. (AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill)
Arizona state security guard Alonzo Verge Jr., right, shoots as USC striker Chevez Goodwin during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Wednesday, February 17, 2021 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill)
USC striker Chevez Goodwin (left) defends as Arizona state striker Kimani Lawrence hits the ball after a fight in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Wednesday, February 17, 2021 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill)
Arizona state forward Kimani Lawrence plays in the first half of the team’s NCAA college basketball game against USC on Wednesday, February 17, 2021 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill)
Holland Woods (left) and USC striker Isaiah Mobley (Arizona State Guard) grab for a rebound during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Los Angeles on Wednesday, February 17, 2021. (AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill)
Arizona state security guard Alonzo Verge Jr., left, shoots while USC security guard Tahj Eaddy during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Wednesday, February 17, 2021 in Los Angeles defended. (AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill)
USC striker Isaiah Mobley (right) catches a rebound from Kimani Lawrence, the US state striker, in the first half of Wednesday’s game at the Galen Center. (AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill)
Arizona state striker Kimani Lawrence (center) shoots while USC striker Isaiah Mobley (left) and security guard Isaiah White shoots during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Wednesday, Jan. February 2021, defend in Los Angeles. (AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill)
USC striker Chevez Goodwin (left) and security guard Drew Peterson (right) ricochet off Holland Woods during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Wednesday, February 17, 2021 in Los Angeles Arizona state security guard. (AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill)
Arizona state forward Kimani Lawrence (left) shoots while USC strikers Evan Mobley (center) and Max Agbonkpolo during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Wednesday, February 17 2021, defend in Los Angeles. (AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill)
USC striker Evan Mobley, right, shoots as Arizona state forward Jalen Graham defends in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Los Angeles on Wednesday, February 17, 2021. (AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill)
USC striker Boubacar Coulibaly (top) blocks Arizona State Guard Caleb Christopher’s shot during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Los Angeles on Wednesday, February 17, 2021. (AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill)
Arizona state forward Jalen Graham, right, has blocked his shot from USC striker Evan Mobley during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Los Angeles on Wednesday, February 17, 2021. (AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill)
Arizona state security guard Jaelen House, left, ricochets off USC striker Isaiah Mobley in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game on Wednesday, February 17, 2021 in Los Angeles ( 3). (AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill)
Arizona State Guard Remy Martin (center) shoots as USC strikers Isaiah Mobley (left) and Evan Mobley defend during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Los Angeles on Wednesday, February 17, 2021 . (AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill)
Arizona state forward Jalen Graham (left) blocked his shot in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Los Angeles on Wednesday, February 17, 2021 by USC striker Evan Mobley . (AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill)
Arizona state forward Kimani Lawrence (center) shoots as USC strikers Isaiah Mobley (left) and Evan Mobley during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game on Wednesday, February 17 2021, defend in Los Angeles. USC won 89-71. (AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill)
Arizona state striker Kimani Lawrence (left) and USC striker Evan Mobley walk after rebounding in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game on Wednesday, February 17, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill)
Arizona state forward Kimani Lawrence (left) shoots while USC striker Isaiah Mobley defends in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game on Wednesday, February 17, 2021 in Los Angeles . (AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill)
LOS ANGELES – As Tahj Eaddy ran into the square at the Galen Center, he waved to the empty stands and threw an enthusiastic fist in the air as if he were getting the imaginary crowd going.
It turned out that the USC game against the US state of Arizona on Wednesday would have excited fans on its own.
The Sun Devils led the Trojans to 17th place in an old-fashioned shootout that saw both teams shoot the lights out of the gym. But while USC was out of fashion, it was the Trojans that had the firepower to survive the State of Arizona (89-71) for the seventh straight time and 13th time in the last 14 games.
USC improved to 18-3 to start a season for the first time since 1973/74, and 12-2 in the Pac-12 game to extend their lead over the rest of the conference to one and a half games.
Contributions came from all over the place for USC. The second striker Isaiah Mobley achieved a career high of 20 points with 12 rebounds. His 7-foot « baby » brother Evan fell 22 while handing out seven career-level assists, five of which went to Isaiah.
It was the kind of game, and increasingly the kind of season, that the Mobley brothers envisioned when they joined USC.
« He feeds me highlights, I get highlights, the team wins with good profit margins, we take first place in Pac-12. The only thing missing is definitely the fans, » said Isaiah. « But so far it’s definitely been an excellent ride. »
The early minutes gave an indication of what was to come. The Trojans made six of their first seven shots when Eaddy and Isaiah Mobley scored the team’s first 14 points. Mobley played an air guitar after making a 3-hand on the end of the shot clock.
ASU, who lost four players including freshman and former standout Mayfair High player Josh Christopher, were just as hot, making five out of six early on. Remy Martin, the Pac-12 leader in the standings, drilled a 3-pointer over Eaddy’s outstretched arms and USC head coach Andy Enfield sent Ethan Anderson into battle against Martin.
But to no avail, as Martin quickly lost two more 3s on the way to a 30-point performance, three just before his career high.
« I thought the first half looked like the NBA All-Star game, » said Enfield. « It was just a free flowing shot. »
There was little defensive effort in the first half, as Eaddy often demonstrated. There was his pump fake 3 pointer with a sideways glance at the defender, followed shortly by praise to Evan Mobley, who was just clearing the fingertips of the Sun Devil defenders.
The Trojans made 17 of their first 21 shots, but an ASU 6-0 run (7-10, 4-7) reduced the USC lead to two at halftime. But the Trojans opened the second with a fitting run, with a 3-pointer from Evan Mobley Sun Devils trainer telling Bobby Hurley to cut the time down to 68 seconds.
But USC continued to score. On defense, Evan Mobley drew to give Isaiah a one-handed and an immersion walk. Or the Freshman Center drives in to create an opening for Drew Peterson, who knocked down one of the USC’s 11 3-pointers that night.
And the USC defense was curtailed in the second half, which limited Arizona state to 32.1% shooting and 33.3% 3-pointers.
ASU kept the game in single digits for most of the second half, but eventually USC’s guns got too much for the crowd. An end-of-the-shot jumper from Mobley with a 3:58 left left USC at 11am and got the Sun Devils away for good.
« Hopefully we can pull this thing out and so on and win and make a run in the tournament, » said Isaiah Mobley.
On the subject of matching items
Sign up for the USC sports newsletter: « Troy Story »
Where USC men’s basketball needs to improve before March
Tahj Eaddy and Evan Mobley get USC to win Washington State
USC is focused on defense and knows the points will follow
Isaiah Mobley encourages us to get USC past Washington
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