Bronny James’ debut: USC vs. Long Beach State live game updates, college basketball scores, NCAA highlights

Heading to OT

Free basketball is coming up in Los Angeles. After Isaiah Collier missed a potential game-winning shot at the buzzer, we are heading to overtime. USC led by as many as 17 points in the first half before Long Beach State cameback to tie it late. Bronny James closed in the final minutes of the second half and will start the OT period on the floor.

Close game in Southern California 

We have a good one here at the Galen Center. Long Beach State and USC are tied at 69 with 3:10 remaining and Bronny James appears to be checking in for the final stretch. The Trojans were up by as many as 17 points in the first half.

Bronny checks out

After hitting the first shot of his college career, Bronny James is checking out. James was expected to be on a minutes restriction and he has played 10 minutes thus far. USC leads Long Beach State 59-58 with 9:25 left.

Bronny scores first points of his college career

Bronny James is on the board. James knocked down a three-pointer on the wing off an assist from Boogie Ellis for the first points of his college career. James is 1-of-2 from distance and both shots he’s taken today have been from downtown.

James in for the first time in the second half

Bronny James is checking in for the first time in the second half with just over 14 minutes left in regulation. Within moments of James entering the game, he dished out an assist to USC big man Joshua Morgan. James has only taken one shot thus far and has two assists, a rebound and a block in seven minutes of action.

Collier back on the floor

After suffering an apparent injury in the final moments of the first half, USC star freshman Isaiah Collier is back on the floor for USC. Collier is in contention to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft and was seen warming up minutes before the start of the second half. Collier had a team-high 10 points in the first 20 minutes of action.

Isaiah Collier to the locker room

USC star freshman Isaiah Collier is heading to the locker room after suffering an apparent injury. It’s unclear what the nature of the injury could be, but Collier remained down on the floor for about a minute before being escorted into the locker room. The potential injury comes on a day in which the Trojans got back to full strength with Bronny James back in the fold.

Bronny back to the bench

USC leads Long Beach State 41-26 in the final minutes of the first half here at the Galen Center and Bronny James is back to the bench after playing another few minutes. Bronny has yet to score, but he’s posted a rebound, block and an assist on the stat sheet. It appears he’s playing in three minute stretches.

The moment Bronny checked in

This was the scene when Bronny James checked in for the first time in his college career. James is playing in front of a packed house here at the Galen Center. The fans have been encouraging him to shoot the ball every time he touches it. This has been an incredible environment for a Sunday afternoon nonconference game in December. After sitting a few minutes on the bench, James is checking back in

Bronny checking out

After just over three minutes of action, James is back to the bench. The Trojans said prior to this game that James would be on a minutes restriction. It’s unclear how much the former highly routed recruit will play today.

Bronny’s first appearance 

Bronny started his college career by forcing a near steal on the defensive end and grabbed a defensive rebound moments later. The fans here are encouraging James to shoot … which he did moments later. The first shot of his college career was a missed 3-pointer at the top of the key.

Bronny James checks in

Here comes Bronny James. The son of NBA supertstar LeBron James is checking in with 12:58 left in the first half for the first official appearance of his college career. The younger James suffered a major health scare by going into cardiac arrest on July 24 during USC’s practice and less than five months later, he is making his return to the court. James is expected to be on a minutes restriction and it’s unclear how much he will play today against Long Beach State.

LeBron James in attendance 

Fresh off a win in the In-Season Tournament championship over the Pacers Saturday night, LeBron James is here for Bronny James’ debut. 

Cardiac arrest among college basketball players

Unfortunately, James wasn’t even the first member of the USC basketball program to go into cardiac arrest during a team practice. USC big man Vincent Iwuchukwu suffered a cardiac arrest incident last summer and missed the first 16 games of the 2022-23 season because of it. James so far this season has missed USC’s first seven games.

In late 2020, Florida wing Keyontae Johnson suffered what was then the most well-known case of a cardiac event at the college level in recent memory. Johnson, then a projected first round pick, collapsed on the court during a game vs. Florida State. He was later diagnosed with sudden cardiac arrest. Johnson did not play the remainder of the season and missed all of the 2021-22 season before returning to the court for Kansas State last season.

Former Baylor star Jared Butler was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the leading cause of sudden cardiac arrest in the U.S., when he was 18 years old and preparing to start his college career. Butler went on to be an All-American, though his condition was flagged during the NBA Draft process, causing him to slip to the No. 40 pick in 2021.