Top 25 roundup: Chimezie Metu scores 24, No. 25 USC holds off Colorado 71-68

Chimezie Metu scored a career-high 24 points, including a go-ahead hook shot with 29 seconds left, and No. 25 Southern California held off slumping Colorado 71-68 on Sunday night in Boulder, Colorado.

Metu arched a shot over his defender moments after Xavier Johnson gave the Buffaloes a one-point lead on a 3-pointer. George King had a final chance to tie it at the buzzer, but the ball bounced off the rim.

Metu scored 20 points in the opening half by showing off an array of hook shots, mid-range jumpers and powerful dunks. His previous high for a game was 21 at UCLA last January.

USC (16-3, 3-3 Pac-12) trailed by as many as 11 points midway through the opening half and rallied back, which seems to be nothing new for this team. The Trojans have eight comeback wins this season when falling behind by nine or more points.

King had 16 points and Johnson added 15 for the Buffaloes (10-8, 0-5).

(22) Cincinnati 55, East Carolina 46: Kyle Washington had 16 points and 11 rebounds and the Bearcats (15-2, 5-0 American Athletic Conference) beat the Pirates (9-10, 1-5) in Greenville, North Carolina, for its eighth straight win.

Jacob Evans III added 10 points for the Bearcats. Cincinnati extended its longest winning streak since the 2013-14 team reeled off 15 straight.

Freshman Elijah Hughes had 18 points for the Pirates. They have lost five in a row.