USC guard Bronny James puts up a shot over Auburn forward Johni Broome during the first half of an NCAA basketball game Sunday in Auburn, Ala.
AP photo
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USC guard Bronny James (6) dribbles around Auburn guard Chad Baker-Mazara (10) during the first half of an NCAA basketball game Sunday in Auburn, Ala.
AP photo
USC guard Bronny James warms up before a game against Auburn in an NCAA basketball game Sunday in Auburn, Ala.
AP photo
AUBURN, Ala. — A dominant performance by Auburn served as a reminder that neither USC nor Bronny James are a finished product.
Aden Holloway scored 15 points with six assists and Jaylin Williams had 14 points to help Auburn beat USC 91-75 on Sunday as the Trojans’ James continued to work his way back to form after suffering cardiac arrest in July.
The Tigers (8-2) controlled the game most of the way in the first road appearance for James in a packed Auburn Arena with dozens of NBA scouts watching. The Trojans (5-5) dropped their third straight game.
“He’s improved, but it’s a little unfair to him to be judging him every possession right now,” Trojans coach Andy Enfield said. “He’s come back and he gave us good minutes. He plays very hard.
“He’s just a freshman and he’s been out five months. It’s very, very challenging for him but we anticipate he’ll be a much better player by the middle of the season than he is now.”
Bronny James, who remains on restricted minutes just two games into his comeback, didn’t speak to reporters after the game.
The son of NBA superstar LeBron James, Bronny James scored five points in 14 minutes, making 3 of 4 free throws late. He couldn’t corral the ball on an alley-oop chance in the final two minutes, prompting a chant of “overrated.” But Auburn fans mostly didn’t react to his presence on the court.
Auburn had five scorers in double figures. Denver Jones had 12 points while Johni Broome and Dylan Cardwell each had 11.
Boogie Ellis led USC with 22 points. Isaiah Collier and Oziyah Sellers each had 13. Collier fouled out.
Holloway, himself a highly recruited freshman guard, figured it had to be a challenge for James to get back into rhythm on the court.
“I was just happy to be able to see him out on the court and playing again,” Holloway said. “It’s always good to just play and do what you love to do. Being able to compete out there is the best thing, really.”
James had made his college debut at home a week earlier in an overtime loss to Long Beach State with his father on hand. LeBron James, whose Los Angeles Lakers host the New York Knicks on Monday night, wasn’t in Auburn Arena for this one.
Bronny James’ mother, Savannah, watched from right behind the USC bench.
James entered the game with 16:28 left to a moderate buzz from the fans and played mostly short stints, but he wasn’t able to spark a rally. In fact, the Trojans were outscored by 17 with him on the court in the first half and trailed 49-35 at halftime.
James suffered cardiac arrest during a workout at Galen Center. He was found to have a congenital heart defect that was treatable.
NO. 16 ILLINOIS 74, COLGATE 57
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Coleman Hawkins scored 16 points and Quincy Guerrier and Marcus Domask each scored 15 to help Illinois lead from start to finish in a victory over Colgate.
Terrance Shannon Jr. had 14 points despite not scoring in the second half for the 16th-ranked Illini (8-2). The Big Ten’s second-leading scorer had 20 or more points in six of his last seven games.
Colgate (6-5), which has qualified for the NCAA Tournament four times in five years, was led by Jeff Woodward with 14 points. Keegan Records, the preseason Patriot League Player and Defensive Player of the Year, was held to nine points.
NO. 17 COLORADO STATE 86, CSU-PUEBLO 54
FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Isaiah Stevens had 18 points to move closer to taking over as the program’s all-time leading scorer and Colorado State shook off a sluggish start to roll past Division II CSU-Pueblo.
Nique Clifford, Taviontae Jackson and Patrick Cartier each finished with 13 points. Clifford also had nine rebounds. Colorado State (10-1) held a 36-12 advantage in points in the paint.
Armon Muldrew led CSU-Pueblo (6-5) with 16 points, while Brevin Walter contributed 13.
The Thunderwolves held the lead for 26 seconds in the first half. But the Rams used their size and speed to pull away. Colorado State led by as many as 24 in the first half.
WOMEN
NO. 7 LSU 81, NORTHWESTERN STATE 36
BATON ROUGE, La. — Angel Reese scored 25 points and 14 rebounds, Aneesah Morrow had 16 points and 14 rebounds and No. 7 LSU slogged its way to an 81-36 victory over Northwestern St. on Sunday.
It was the 11th straight win for the Tigers (11-1) after the defending national champions lost their season opener to then-No. 20 Colorado on Nov. 6. Northwestern St. dropped to 4-6.
Mikaylah Williams finished with 14 points, despite missing her first eight field goal attempts. Flau’jae Johnson added 13 points, five steals and five assists.
Sharna Ayres led Northwestern St. (4-6) with 10 points.
LSU coach Kim Mulkey was ejected from the game with 4:56 left and LSU leading by 39 points. She was given two technical fouls for protesting a charging foul call against Morrow.
NO. 14 NOTRE DAME 76, PURDUE 39
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Star freshman Hannah Hildalgo had 23 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and seven steals and even threw in a blocked shot and Notre Dame dominated in-state rival Purdue after the Fighting Irish unveiled a statue of legendary coach Muffet McGraw outside Purcell Pavilion.
McGraw retired in 2020 after 33 years as head coach with 936 wins, nine trips to the Final Four and national championships in 2001 and 2018.
Maddy Westbeld added 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Fighting Irish (8-1), who have won eight straight. Natalija Marshall continued her stellar play off the bench with 14 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Notre Dame finished at 51% despite going 3 of 11 on 3-pointers.
Abbey Ellis scored eight points for Purdue (6-5).
NO. 16 VIRGINIA TECH 84, RUTGERS 59
PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Matilda Ekh made seven 3-pointers and scored 27 points, Georgia Amoore added 18 points and eight assists and Virginia Tech beat Rutgers to give Hokies coach Kenny Brooks 500 career wins.
Kaylene Smikle led the Scarlet Knights (6-8) with 22 points, her sixth game scoring 20-plus this season. Kassondra Brown added 15 points and Chyna Cornwell had nine points and 11 rebounds.
Virginia Tech (8-2) hit 17 3-pointers — including five by Amoore — and limited Rutgers to just 15 field goals on 50 attempts (30%). Olivia Summiel made 4 of 4 from behind the arc and scored all of her 18 points in the second half for the Hokies.
NO. 19 MARQUETTE 99, APPALACHIAN STATE 91
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Jordan King scored a season-high 29 points and Frannie Hottinger grabbed a career-high 21 rebounds as Marquette topped Appalachian State.
King moved into third all-time in career games played by starting in her 135th game for Marquette (11-0), hit a career-high six 3-pointers and topped 20 points for the 15th time in her career. Liza Karlen scored 24 points, topping 20 points in a game for the fifth time this season. Mackenzie Hare added 13 points.
Six Mountaineers (5-5) reached double-figure scoring led by Emily Carver and Faith Alston, who each had 19 points. Rylan Moffitt scored 13 points, Alexis Black and Makenzie Drout each had 12 points and J’Mani Ingram contributed 10.
NO. 20 CREIGHTON 89, DRAKE 78
DES MOINES, Iowa — Emma Ronsiek scored 25 of her 31 points in the second half, Lauren Jensen added 22 points, and Creighton defeated Drake.
Morgan Maly finished with 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists for the Bluejays (8-2).
Drake (6-4) kept pace in the second half, including a 31-30 advantage in the third quarter. The Bulldogs hit on 65% of their shots in the quarter and Creighton made 68%. Drake’s Katie Dinnebier scored 17 of her 26 points in the second half.
Anna Miller had 15 points and nine rebounds for Drake and Grace Berg finished with 14 points, six rebounds and four assists.
NO. 21 GONZAGA 83, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 58
SPOKANE, Wash. — Eliza Hollingsworth had 17 points and 12 rebounds, Yvonne Ejim scored 16 points and Brynna Maxwell added 15 to help Gonzaga (11-2) cruise to a win over South Dakota State.
Hollingsworth shot 6 of 9 from the field and 3 of 4 from 3-point range and finished with two steals and two blocks.
Mesa Byon and Jenna Popp scored 12 points apiece to lead South Dakota State (6-4).
Brooklyn Meyer, who went into the game leading the Jackrabbits — and the Summit League — in scoring (17.0 per game), rebounding (9.8) and blocks (2.3), had just two points, on 1-of-5 shooting, and a rebound at halftime. The sophomore finished with four points and two rebounds — both season lows — in 25 minutes.
NO. 22 FLORIDA STATE 76, DREXEL 56
PHILADELPHIA — Ta’Niya Latson scored 22 points to guide Florida State over Drexel.
Latson made 7 of 16 shots with a 3-pointer and 7 of 9 free throws for the Seminoles (8-3). She added three assists, three steals and blocked two shots. O’Mariah Gordon finished with 14 points and seven assists. Sara Bejedi scored 11 and Makayla Timpson had 10 points and six rebounds.
Brooke Mullin sank three 3-pointers and scored 11 to lead the Dragons (4-4). She added eight rebounds and six assists. Chloe Hodges scored 10.