Surging USC leads from start-to-finish in 99-89 win over Iowa behind Claude's 25 points

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Desmond Claude scored 25 points and Saint Thomas had a near-perfect shooting night scoring 24 points and USC beat Iowa 99-89 on Tuesday night.

Claude made 10 of 12 from the foul line and Thomas was 9-for-10 shooting, including 3 for 4 from 3-point range, and 3 for 4 from the foul line. Wesley Yates III scored 21 points and Chibuzo Agbo 18 point for USC which shot 64.9% (37 for 57) including 66.7% (10 for 15) from beyond the arc.

Owen Freeman scored 23 points shooting 11 for 14, Payton Sandfort scored 20 points, Drew Thelwell scored 16 points and Josh Dix 13 for Iowa.

USC (11-6, 3-3 Big Ten) never trailed. Iowa (12-5, 3-3) saw its two-game win streak end.

The Trojans went on a 10-5 spurt in the last 2 1/2 minutes of the first half and led 48-32. The Hawkeyes began a methodical climb back in it, and Thelwell's layup with 6:07 remaining reduced the deficit to 81-74. Thelwell made a pair of foul shots, a layup and two more foul shots to get Iowa within 85-80 but they couldn't get closer.

Iowa will remain in Los Angeles to take on UCLA on Friday night. The Trojans host 24th-ranked Wisconsin on Saturday.

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The Associated Press