Kobe Johnson, Tre White stepped up big for USC against Washington

With Boogie Ellis and Drew Peterson struggling from the field vs U-Dub, Kobe Johnson and Tre White made winning plays.

So far this season, the USC Trojans have mostly relied on Drew Peterson and Boogie Ellis to get the job done on a nightly basis. When those players had off nights, it would be a tough game for the Trojans.

However, Saturday night was an encouraging sign. The Trojans beat Washington, 80-74, and Ellis and Peterson each shot just 4-14 from the field and finished with a combined 25 points. They combined for 37 against UCLA and 43 against Washington State.

The bench didn’t do much against Washington, scoring six total points, but two players stepped up big: Kobe Johnson and Tre White. After the game, head coach Andy Enfield mentioned both of those players.

Tre White, who is averaging 10 PPG this season, led USC with 22 points on 10-16 shooting and added 8 rebounds in a strong effort from the freshman.

Kobe Johnson, a sophomore who played sparingly last season, came in averaging just 8.1 PPG. However, he emerged with 21 points on 5-7 from the field and a perfect 9-9 from the free-throw line to give USC a much-needed boost in a game they couldn’t afford to lose. Johnson also came up with a drawn charge and a huge steal in the final minutes to seal the win. Johnson’s effort plays and his defensive hustle mean even more than his points, but his big buckets have been massive the past few games against the Washington schools.

Johnson hit two huge three-pointers down the stretch against Washington, and the Trojans did all of this without Reese Dixon-Waters. Overall, it was a very positive night for USC, and Enfield and the Trojans are hoping that Johnson and White can continue to play like this.

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