BOULDER, Colorado – J'Vonne Hadley led a balanced attack with 15 points and Colorado held USC to 21 points in the second half as the Buffaloes defeated the short-handed Trojans 68-58 on Saturday night in rookie Bronny's first start James. for the Trojans.
James was a non-factor as USC took a 37-24 halftime lead. His struggles continued in the second half when Hadley scored 10 points and Colorado took control. James finished 0-of-7 shooting, with three shots from 3-point range. He added two rebounds and an assist in 25 minutes.
Cody Williams scored 13 points for the Buffaloes (12-5, 3-3 Pac-12 Conference), who ended a three-game losing streak. Tristan da Silva and Eddie Lampkin Jr. scored 12 points.
Colorado improved to 10-0 at home and earned its 500th victory at the CU Events Center.
Oziyah Sellers scored a career-high 18 points for the Trojans (8-9, 2-4), and Kobe Johnson, DJ Rodman and Vincent Iwuchukwu scored 10.
USC was without Boogie Ellis, Isaiah Collier and Joshua Morgan. Ellis (18.7 points per game) injured his hamstring a week earlier, but played in the Trojans' previous game. That's when Collier (15.4 points per game) suffered a hand injury that will keep him out four to six weeks. Morgan (69% shooting) missed his second game with a respiratory infection.
Colorado was up 59-55 with three minutes left when Williams scored at the line. Simpson hit a key 3-pointer with 1:13 left and Lampkin made a monster dunk at 48 seconds when USC coach Andy Enfield was called for a technical foul. Williams made a free throw to end the run 9-0.
Colorado was 5 of 15 in the final 7-plus minutes and still finished 56% shooting in the second half (18 of 32). The Trojans were 7 of 29 (24%) in the second half with 10 turnovers.
Sellers tied his career high in the first half with 16 points as the Trojans took a 37-24 lead. Colorado, a team that shoots just a fraction over 50%, was 9 of 29 (31%).
Sellers scored four points to start a 12-0 run that was capped by a Johnson three-point play for a 27-11 lead at the 8:42 mark.
The Buffaloes went on a late 9-3 run to pull within 10, but Sellers scored five points just before halftime.
Colorado scored six quick points at halftime and made it a 12-2 run, getting within 39-36 on a da Silva layup. The Buffaloes tied the game on a fastbreak layup by Julian Hammond III, and after Kijani Wright scored for USC, Luke O'Brien put Colorado up 46-45 with a 3-pointer, the Buffs' first lead since 9-8. .
Colorado stays home to face Oregon schools, starting with the Ducks on Thursday. USC continues its road trip in Arizona, starting with the No. 8 Wildcats on Wednesday.
