USC basketball runs out of gas, falls to Nevada Las Vegas, 66-55

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USC 7-foot sophomore Dewayne Dedmon hoped to turn around his recent stretch of poor play and help USC in its game Friday against Nevada Las Vegas in the Las Vegas Invitational.

Instead, Dedmon not only struggled again, but he was called for a technical foul midway through the second half that sparked a game-turning 8-0 UNLV run that the Rebels used to key a 66-55 win.

Since USC (2-4) lost, it will face the loser of the South Carolina-North Carolina game Saturday, which is set to begin at 7 p.m. Friday at the Orleans Arena.

If North Carolina loses, it will face USC at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and that game will be televised on ESPN2.

If South Carolina loses, it will face USC at 4:30 p.m. Saturday and the game will not be televised.

There are many NBA scouts in attendance for this event, but it’s unlikely many came away impressed after an up-close look at Dedmon, whom USC Coach Kevin O’Neill has hyped as an NBA lottery pick.

Dedmon scored four points in five total minutes, continuing a rough stretch after he scored 16 points in USC’s season opener. He has scored 23 total points in five games since.

Dedmon fouled out when a referee issued him a technical foul after Dedmon argued his fourth personal foul with 9 minutes 27 seconds left in the second half.

After that call, the hometown Rebels (6-0), with the fan-friendly crowd behind them, charged ahead with momentum, taking a 52-46 lead with 7:43 left after a three-point shot by Kendall Wallace.

It didn’t help USC that shortly thereafter, junior forward Aaron Fuller, who had scored a game-high 16 points by then, fouled out with 6:06 left.

Freshman guard Byron Wesley scored a career-high 16 points for USC, and sophomore guard Maurice Jones scored 11.

UNLV was led in scoring by Oscar Bellfield’s 14 points, and Justin Hawkins added 10.

-- Baxter Holmes, from Las Vegas