PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — Jordan Ross scored 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting Thursday night to help Saint Mary’s beat Southern California 71-36 at the Acrisure Classic.
Saint Mary’s (7-0), which is off to its best start since the Gaels tied the program record with nine consecutive wins to open the 2013-14 season, plays the winner between Arizona State and New Mexico in the championship game on Friday. The Trojans take on the loser in the consolation game.
Paulius Murauskas and Augustas Marciulionis scored 11 points apiece for the Gaels.
Jordan Coehn led USC (5-2) with 12 points.
Cohen scored in the lane to give USC a one-point lead with 7:32 to play in the first half but Ross hit a jumper 26 later to give the Gaels the lead for good and Ashton Hardaway hit a 3 before Cohen made a layup to make it 23-21 with 5:01 left. The Trojans went 0 for 4 from the field and committed two turnovers as Saint Mary’s closed the half with a 9-0 run to take an 11-point lead into the break.
Cohen scored inside to cut the deficit to single digits about a minute into the second half but Ross scored eight consecutive points for Saint Mary’s before Barrett made back-to-back baskets to cap a 12-2 run that made it 44-25 with 15 minutes to play.
The Gaels outscored USC 39-15 in the second half. The Trojans made just 4 of 23 (17%) from the field in after halftime.