Box Score
Season Statistics
KALAMAZOO ? Brian Snider led Western Michigan with 15 points, eight assists and four steals, but USC made a big run in the first half and held on in the second to win, 77-62, at the L.A. Sports Arena.
The Broncos (2-4) pulled to within 10 points on the first possession of the second half on a Snider layup and again on a Stane's Bufford free throw with 16:48 remaining, 48-38. The Trojans (6-2) responded with a 13-2 run in three minutes to push their lead to 21 points with 13:20 left in the game. The Broncos got back within 12 points twice in the final 5:15, but USC held on to their double-digit lead.
Western Michigan took a two-point lead, 7-5, against USC less than five minutes into the first half after a Brian Snider three-pointer. USC countered with a 29-5 run over the next 9:09 to take a 22-point lead, 34-12, with 6:05 remaining in the half.
The Broncos were still down 21, 40-19, with 3:23 left in the half when they came alive with a half-closing 13-4 run to pull within 12 points at intermission, 44-32.
"We just dug too deep a hole for ourselves," head coach Steve Hawkins said. "We turned the ball over a little bit and we weren't getting back on defense very well off those turnovers."
Bufford and Joe Reitz were also in double figures with 12 and 11 points each. Derek Fracalossi hit two threes in the first half to set a new career high in points.
"It was good to see us not give up. We fought pretty hard there when we could have thrown in the towel," Hawkins said.
Nick Young led USC with 19 points and eight rebounds.
The Broncos are back in action in the first round of the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Tuesday night against Colorado State at 10 p.m. EST.
