LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Marcus Lee's career-high 23 points plus a 12-rebound double-double day proved to be the bright spot in a losing effort for the Golden Bears, who fell to USC 77-59 Sunday afternoon at the Galen Center.

Lee was one of three Golden Bears in double figures, along with Darius McNeill (13 points) and Justice Sueing (14 points). Sueing has now scored in double figures in every game of conference play.

Jonah Mathews and Elijah Stewart each scored 16 points to lead USC (17-6, 8-2 Pac-12), who has won six consecutive games and remained in second place in the Pac-12 Conference standings behind No. 11 Arizona (8-1). The Trojans have won eight of their last nine.

Cal (7-15, 1-8) is mired in a funk as its lost eight consecutive games, something the Bears haven't done since 1992.

Mathews made a 3-pointer from the baseline nine seconds before halftime to give USC a 31-29 lead at the break. Cal turned the ball over 14 times in the first half and USC scored 17 points off those miscues.

USC got hot to start the second half as Stewart made back-to-back 3-pointers for a 39-31 lead and the Trojans never looked back. Later, Mathews again made consecutive 3s from each corner as part of an 8-0 run that gave USC a 62-47 lead with 8:53 left.

Cal's Marcus Lee scored a game-high 23 points, 17 of which came in the second half.

The Bears leading scorer, Don Coleman, didn't play for the second consecutive game. He was suspended for Cal's game at UCLA on Thursday for a violation of team rules.

BIG PICTURE

Cal: The Bears needed a victory to stop their slump and regain a measure of confidence for their young team but it didn't happen.

USC: The Trojans are having a January to remember — where they're 7-1 — and have a big game at first-place Arizona on Feb. 10.

UP NEXT

Cal: Hosts Oregon on Thursday.