Thompson Jr. Burns USC For Career-High 24

Wednesday, December 28

Corvallis, OR

8:00 PM

Oregon State

4-10, 0-1Pac-12

USC

14-0, 1-0Pac-12

USC

Oregon State

Stephen Thompson Jr.

Photo by: Karl Maasdam/Oregon State Athletics

December 28, 2016 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score Postgame Presser

By: Oregon State Communications

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Stephen Thompson Jr. scored a career-high 24 points and Oregon State battled No. 22 USC to the very end before falling 70-63 on Wednesday night in both team's Pac-12 Conference opener.

A sophomore guard, Thompson Jr. scored 19 of those points in the second half, when OSU (4-10, 0-1 Pac-12) used a furious comeback to twice trim a 34-17 halftime deficit to six points, the final time at 68-62 with 21 seconds to play.

OSU then forced a turnover, but missed a shot with 16 seconds remaining. Southern Cal (14-0, 1-0) then hit two free throws with 11 seconds left to clinch the victory and snap a seven-game Gill Coliseum losing streak.

Thompson Jr.'s previous best was 23 points, at UCLA last March 5 in OSU's 2015-16 regular-season finale. He has scored in double figures in seven games in a row this season and 28 times in his career. It was his third lifetime 20-point game.

Sophomore center Drew Eubanks was equally productive in the second half, when the Beavers outscored Southern Cal 46-36. Eubanks had 13 of his 15 points and eight of his 15 rebounds in that span and the 15/15 double-double was his third of the season and the fourth of his career.

OSU shot 52 percent (16-31) from the floor and outrebounded Southern Cal 22-13 in the second half.

The Beavers trailed by as many as 16 points three times in the second half, the last time at 57-41 with 7:15 remaining, before mounting their comeback. Thompson Jr. and Eubanks combined for 18 of OSU's final 22 points, each scoring nine.

Thompson Jr. also had three assists and a steal. Freshman guard JaQuori McLaughlin also had seven points and three assists and redshirt freshman guard Kendal Manuel had a career-high five rebounds and tied a career best with three steals.

The Beavers resume Pac-12 action on Friday, when they host No. 2-ranked UCLA in an 8 p.m. game that will be televised by the Pac-12 Network.

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