The Wildcats (24-7, 15-5 Pac-12) clinched their 18th regular-season league title outright at UCLA on Thursday and had won 10 of 11, but the Trojans (14-17, 8-12) stopped Arizona cold.
With leading scorer Boogie Ellis having an off night offensively, USC got big efforts from Johnson, Rodman and freshman Isaiah Collier, who finished with 16 points and five assists. Ellis had five points on one-of-eight shooting.
Johnson hit a three-pointer, Collier made a pair of free throws and Rodman scored on a tip-in for a 60-49 lead.
Buoyed by loud chants of “U of A! U of A!”, the Wildcats answered with a three-pointer from Keshad Johnson and a dunk by Oumar Ballo to close within six. That was as close as they would get to challenging USC for the lead.
USC’s defense held Pac-12 player of the year candidate Caleb Love to a season-worst two points on one-of-10 shooting. He missed all six of his three-point attempts in only his second single-digit scoring effort of the season.
Ballo and Johnson each scored 17 points for the Wildcats. Ballo had 10 rebounds.
(Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)
The Trojans closed the game on an 11-6 run, limiting Arizona to just three field goals in the final three minutes. Collier had the crowd in a tizzy with a one-handed jam and Joshua Morgan followed with a slam of his own.
USC ended a six-game skid against the Wildcats, who beat the Trojans 82-67 in Tucson in January. It was third-year Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd’s first loss to USC in six games.
Neither team led by more than five in the first half, which ended with Bronny James dribbling the clock down and hitting a three-pointer with five seconds remaining for a 34-30 lead. His father, LeBron James, took it in from a courtside seat. The younger James had five points and six rebounds.
Big picture
Arizona: The Wildcats are looking to earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament and make a deep run behind a strong senior contingent that includes North Carolina transfer Love, Ballo, San Diego State transfer Johnson and Pelle Larsson.
USC: After a school-record four consecutive 20-win seasons, the Trojans fell off the cliff. They have regained some momentum along a rocky road that included a six-game skid in January and early February. They’ll lose fifth-year stalwart Ellis, graduate transfer Rodman and senior Morgan. It’s possible Collier and James could decide to leave early.
Up next for USC: The Trojans will play a first-round game in the Pac-12 tournament Wednesday.