ANAHEIM, Calif. – When Carl Elliott doesn’t perform, GW doesn’t win.

When Elliott, Regis Koundjia and Maureece Rice combine for 15-for-38 shooting, the Colonials showed they could squander a 20-point second half lead.

Elliott, GW’s senior guard, had nine points on 4-for-19 shooting and turned the ball over eight times in GW’s 74-65 loss to the University of Southern California in the Wooden Classic.

Hobbs said Elliott’s play didn’t adversely affect the Colonials but the inability to connect on layups on its nine steals.

“I think it goes back to missed layups,” Hobbs said after the game. “It really deflated us. Those were big momentum changers.”

There is no blame to be assigned to any specific positions in GW’s second loss of the year. The missed opportunities were widespread. Rice was 6-for-16 from the floor for 17 points and Koundjia, a senior forward, had nine points on 3-for-7 shooting.

Freshman Travis King had 15 points but missed eight of 13 shots from the floor.

Hobbs did not make any players available to media after the loss.

The outlook was bright as the Colonials (6-2) led by 13 points at the half and furthered the lead to 20 with 18:15 remaining in the game. The Colonials allowed the Trojans (6-2) to shoot 50 percent after the intermission.

USC shot just under 28 percent in the first half and Tim Floyd, the Trojans’ head coach, said it was his team’s worst first half and best second half.

“That’s about as ugly a half I’ve ever been a part of,” Floyd said. “They created a lot of our anxiety and lack of pose. We didn’t handle it very well or respond to it very well.”

The loss, GW’s second, surpasses last regular-season’s loss total. The Colonials will return to Washington tonight and will get ready for its game Tuesday against University of Maryland-Baltimore County.