MAUI, Hawaii — Rodney Rice scored a season-high 27 points, including a tiebreaking three-point play late, as USC beat Boise State, 70-67, in a Maui Invitational opener on Monday afternoon at the Lahaina Civic Center.

Rice split two defenders at the top of the key to get into the paint for a runner while being fouled with 14.8 seconds left in the game. He made the basket and free throw to give USC the lead at 68-65.

After the teams traded free throws, Boise State inbounded it with 4.2 seconds left and quickly got down the court for Javan Buchanan’s good look from 3-point range that bounced off the front of the rim at the buzzer.

Chad Baker-Mazara had 11 points and a game-high eight rebounds for USC (5-0), which next faces Seton Hall in a semifinal on Tuesday at 2 p.m. PT. The Pirates ups

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