Oklahoma won a squeaker over USC Friday as the Rady Children’s Invitational wrapped up its first edition at UC San Diego.
The Sooners prevailed 72-70 on a second-chance touch by Otega Oweh, who with just over a second left on the clock, put his hands on Javian McCollum’s missed shot. Oweh’s tip-in kept his team perfect, at 6-0 on the season.
No. 23 USC, which had just tied the game at 70 on free throws by DJ Rodman, fell to 4-2.
Mission Bay High alum Boogie Ellis scored 16, but missed a late three that could have put the Trojans up with a minute to play.
Another Trojan drew a lot of attention during the tournament, according to the Associated Press. Bronny James, son of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, hit the court for the third straight time before a game.
He warmed up, shot a three-pointer, then interacted with fans and kids at LionTree Arena on the UCSD campus, AP reported. He is still waiting to play his first college game after a health crisis last summer.
In the consolation game, Iowa (4-2) took control early for an 85-72 win over Seton Hall (4-2), though the Pirates twice pulled close after big deficits – 18 in the first half and 14 after the break.
Next year’s Rady Invitational field is already set – Arkansas, BYU, Notre Dame and Purdue. The second annual tournament will take place Nov. 28-29, 2024, again at LionTree Arena.
Organizers of the event, produced by Sports San Diego and sponsored by Rady Children’s Hospital, aimed “to produce the best and most special early season college basketball tournament in the country,” one said, calling San Diego “the perfect place to do this.”
