Wright, Horne lead Colorado to 80-62 rout of No. 19 USC
AP
Feb 26, 2021
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) For the first time all season, McKinley Wright IV had his family in the building.
His parents, grandma and grandpa, brother and cousin were all treated to quite a show.
Wright had a career-high 14 assists, Jeriah Horne hit a career-best six 3-pointers on his way to 24 points and Colorado Buffaloes routed No. 19 Southern California Trojans 80-62 on Thursday night to sweep the season series.
Wright added 15 points for the Buffaloes (18-7, 12-6 Pac-12), who have won six straight against the Trojans (19-5, 13-4).
''It meant the world,'' Wright said of having his family on hand as part of the limited fans allowed into the game. ''Meant a lot.''
The only thing he'd like back is picking up that technical foul in the first half. Although, it actually did give his team a surge of energy, as the Buffaloes went on a run soon after.
''I let my emotions get the best of me,'' Wright said. ''Their bench, they kept yelling at our players every time we shot that it was off. I said some words I shouldn't have said.''
Already the school's career leader in assists, Wright and his speed gave the Trojans fits all evening. His 14 assists tied for the second-most in program history. The record is 15 by Jose Winston against Coppin State on Jan. 2, 2001.
''I didn't even know I had 14 assists,'' Wright said. ''That's crazy. Shoutout to my teammates.''
In all, the efficient Buffaloes had 20 assists on 27 baskets.
''When we share the ball and have 20 assists on offense, we're a joy to watch,'' Colorado coach Tad Boyle said.
The loss was a blow to USC, which fell a half-game behind rival UCLA (17-5, 13-3) for first place in the Pac-12 race. The Trojans are chasing their first regular-season conference title since 1984-85, when they shared the crown. Their last outright league championship was in 1960-61.
''Doesn't matter if we lose by one point or 18 - we deserved what we got tonight,'' USC coach Andy Enfield said. ''They played better than us.''
Talented USC freshman Evan Mobley had 13 points with Colorado's Evan Battey and Dallas Walton taking turns blanketing him. Mobley entered the game averaging 16.8.
''Evan Mobley is going to be a top-five NBA draft pick,'' Wright said. ''Shoutout to Dallas and Evan for working their tails off.''
Mobley's brother, Isaiah, returned to the court after missing a game with a strained right calf. He had two points.
Behind the shooting of Horne, the Buffaloes opened a 17-point lead midway through the second half before the Trojans made one final run and cut it to 10. The Buffs weathered the storm and Wright helped wrap it up from the free throw line.
''We played at a high level,'' said Wright, who received a basketball as part of a pregame ceremony to recognize him after he recently became the first Pac-12 player to eclipse 1,700 points, 600 assists and 600 rebounds in a career. ''But there's always room for improvement.''
BIG PICTURE
USC: Quite simply, Colorado was shooting well and the Trojans not so much. Southern California shot 38% from the floor. ''When their shooters are making that high of a percentage, they are pretty tough to beat at home,'' Enfield said.
Colorado: The Buffaloes have 21 wins over ranked opponents under Boyle. His teams have accounted for 32% of the program's wins over ranked foes (65) since 1949-50.
ON THE MARK
The Buffaloes are challenging single-season Pac-12 and national records with their stellar free throw shooting. After going 14 of 15 from the line Thursday, they're shooting 83%. The conference record for a season is 78.6% by Arizona in 2003-04 and the NCAA Division I mark is 82.2% by Harvard in 1983-84.
TECHNICAL TALK
In addition to Wright, Horne and Eli Parquet picked up technical fouls in the second half. Boyle's not reading too much into it.
''If it were an issue with this team and it was something that happened year in and year out, game in and game out, then yes, it would be something we've got to address,'' Boyle said. ''Aberration tonight.''
UP NEXT
USC: At Utah on Saturday. The Trojans beat the Utes 64-46 on Jan. 2.
Colorado: Host UCLA on Saturday. The Buffaloes lost 65-62 at UCLA on Jan. 2.
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1st Half
USC
Trojans
29
COLO
Buffaloes
42
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
(Trojans gains possession)
19:35
+2
Isaiah White makes two point jump shot
2-0
19:10
+3
D'Shawn Schwartz makes three point jump shot (McKinley Wright IV assists)
2-3
18:53
Evan Mobley misses two point jump shot
18:51
McKinley Wright IV defensive rebound
18:33
+2
Evan Battey makes two point layup
2-5
18:13
Isaiah Mobley misses three point jump shot
18:11
McKinley Wright IV defensive rebound
17:58
Evan Battey misses two point layup
17:56
Evan Battey offensive rebound
17:50
McKinley Wright IV turnover (traveling)
17:31
Isaiah Mobley offensive foul
17:31
Isaiah Mobley turnover
17:11
McKinley Wright IV misses two point jump shot
17:09
Ethan Anderson defensive rebound
17:03
Evan Mobley offensive foul
17:03
Evan Mobley turnover
16:48
Dallas Walton turnover (traveling)
16:24
Ethan Anderson misses two point jump shot
16:22
McKinley Wright IV defensive rebound
16:01
+2
Eli Parquet makes two point jump shot (McKinley Wright IV assists)
2-7
15:44
D'Shawn Schwartz personal foul
15:44
TV timeout
15:38
Drew Peterson misses two point jump shot
15:36
Jeriah Horne defensive rebound
15:26
McKinley Wright IV misses two point jump shot
15:24
Drew Peterson defensive rebound
15:20
Maddox Daniels shooting foul (Isaiah White draws the foul)
15:20
Isaiah White misses regular free throw 1 of 2
15:20
+1
Isaiah White makes regular free throw 2 of 2
3-7
15:08
+2
McKinley Wright IV makes two point layup (Jeriah Horne assists)
3-9
14:40
McKinley Wright IV blocks Tahj Eaddy's two point layup
14:38
Jabari Walker defensive rebound
14:23
Jabari Walker misses three point jump shot
14:21
Tahj Eaddy defensive rebound
14:15
Tahj Eaddy misses three point jump shot
14:13
Trojans offensive rebound
14:14
Jeriah Horne personal foul
14:05
+3
Isaiah White makes three point jump shot (Drew Peterson assists)
6-9
13:38
Chevez Goodwin shooting foul (Maddox Daniels draws the foul)
13:38
+1
Maddox Daniels makes regular free throw 1 of 2
6-10
13:38
+1
Maddox Daniels makes regular free throw 2 of 2
6-11
13:25
Isaiah Mobley misses two point layup
13:25
Jabari Walker personal foul (Isaiah Mobley draws the foul)
13:11
Ethan Anderson offensive foul
13:11
Ethan Anderson turnover
12:53
McKinley Wright IV misses two point jump shot
12:51
Jeriah Horne offensive rebound
12:50
+2
Jabari Walker makes two point layup (Jeriah Horne assists)
6-13
12:50
Max Agbonkpolo personal foul (Jabari Walker draws the foul)
12:50
+1
Jabari Walker makes regular free throw 1 of 1
6-14
12:35
Jabari Walker personal foul
12:31
Drew Peterson misses three point jump shot
12:29
Dallas Walton defensive rebound
12:21
Keeshawn Barthelemy turnover (bad pass)
12:06
Max Agbonkpolo turnover (lost ball)
11:46
Keeshawn Barthelemy misses three point jump shot
11:44
Ethan Anderson defensive rebound
11:41
TV timeout
11:23
+2
Evan Mobley makes two point layup
8-14
11:08
+3
Jeriah Horne makes three point jump shot (Tristan da Silva assists)
8-17
10:45
Drew Peterson misses two point jump shot
10:43
Dallas Walton defensive rebound
10:30
+2
Jeriah Horne makes two point jump shot
8-19
10:07
Evan Mobley misses two point jump shot
10:05
Tristan da Silva defensive rebound
9:57
Keeshawn Barthelemy misses two point jump shot
9:55
Drew Peterson defensive rebound
9:50
Tahj Eaddy misses two point jump shot
9:45
Evan Mobley offensive rebound
9:41
+2
Evan Mobley makes two point tip shot
10-19
9:25
Drew Peterson blocks Tristan da Silva's two point jump shot
9:23
Drew Peterson defensive rebound
9:18
Ethan Anderson misses three point jump shot
9:16
Tahj Eaddy offensive rebound
9:16
+2
Tahj Eaddy makes two point layup
12-19
9:07
Buffaloes 30 second timeout
9:07
TV timeout
8:43
Dallas Walton misses two point jump shot
8:41
Ethan Anderson defensive rebound
8:26
+2
Evan Mobley makes two point jump shot
14-19
8:08
Eli Parquet misses two point jump shot
8:06
Isaiah White defensive rebound
7:45
Evan Mobley turnover (bad pass) (McKinley Wright IV steals)
7:44
TV timeout
7:32
+2
Dallas Walton makes two point jump shot (Evan Battey assists)
14-21
7:33
Isaiah Mobley shooting foul (Dallas Walton draws the foul)
7:33
+1
Dallas Walton makes regular free throw 1 of 1
14-22
7:09
+2
Chevez Goodwin makes two point layup
16-22
6:47
Evan Battey misses two point jump shot
6:45
Evan Mobley defensive rebound
6:41
+2
Chevez Goodwin makes two point layup (Isaiah White assists)
18-22
6:41
Eli Parquet shooting foul (Chevez Goodwin draws the foul)
6:41
+1
Chevez Goodwin makes regular free throw 1 of 1
19-22
6:23
+3
Jeriah Horne makes three point jump shot (McKinley Wright IV assists)
19-25
6:00
+3
Isaiah White makes three point jump shot (Tahj Eaddy assists)
22-25
5:30
Jump ball. D'Shawn Schwartz vs. Tahj Eaddy (Buffaloes gains possession)
5:25
Buffaloes turnover (shot clock violation)
5:04
Chevez Goodwin misses two point jump shot
5:02
Jeriah Horne defensive rebound
4:48
+3
D'Shawn Schwartz makes three point jump shot (McKinley Wright IV assists)