Tre White and Reese Dixon-Waters both scored career-highs with 20 points each, Drew Peterson went for 15 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, and Southern California weathered a second-half rally to hold off visiting Long Beach State 88-78 on Wednesday in Los Angeles.

USC (8-3) built a 16-point lead late into the first half, but a scrappy Long Beach State side scored the final five points before intermission. That mini-burst set the tone for the second half, as the Beach whittled away at the deficit to stay within a single-digit margin of the Trojans most of the way out of the locker room.

Long Beach State (4-6) pulled to within one point midway through the second half when Tone Hunter followed a Chayce Polynice hook shot with a free throw.

Dixon-Waters led the Trojans’ response, scoring consecutive baskets to push the advantage back to five points. USC’s lead never dipped to fewer than five points for the remainder of the night, though Long Beach State remained in striking distance thanks to Aboubacar Traore and Joel Murray.

Murray scored 14 points primarily from the perimeter while Traore finished with 16 points and a game-high 16 rebounds on the inside. Marcus Tsohonis led Long Beach State with 17 points, including 3-of-7 shooting from 3-point range.

Traore twice pulled the Beach to within six points in the final 3:10, but USC answered each rally attempt.

USC shot 11 of 25 from 3-point range for the game, including a 3-of-9 effort from Boogie Ellis. Ellis finished with 11 points, with all three of his made field-goal attempts coming from outside.

The Trojans held Long Beach State to 30-of-73 shooting from the floor, thanks in part to Long Beach State transfer Joshua Morgan’s four blocked shots on what was an otherwise quiet night. Morgan grabbed only one rebound and scored five points before fouling out.

–Field Level Media