USC men's basketball shows maturity at end of road trip with big win

The USC Trojans bounced back from two straight losses with a thrilling 70-69 overtime win over Minnesota. They now sit at 13-3 overall and 2-3 in conference play.

For the Trojans, this was a much-needed win to salvage something from a long road trip that included disappointing losses to Michigan and Michigan State. Chad Baker-Mazara led all scorers with 29 points and eight assists, while Ezra Ausar also hit double figures with 14 points on the night. Baker-Mazara’s eight assists not only topped the game but also marked a personal career high.

The Trojans sit in the middle of the Big Ten standings, but they lead the conference in one standout stat which is their four one-possession wins this season. It’s an impressive trend that shows while USC might have trouble closing teams out, they’ve got a knack for coming through in the clutch time and time again.

The key to victory in this matchup may have been winning the rebounding battle. While the Trojans have struggled in that area all season, they managed to pull off a 42-33 edge, which played a big role in USC closing out the game. A special shout out to Gabe Dynes, who chipped in nine points and six boards off the bench.

Still, turnovers remain a concern and the Trojans simply need to take better care of the basketball. They committed 16 giveaways against the Gophers. Head coach Eric Musselman pointed it out, saying, "The turnovers are still a problem; we've got to do a better job taking care of the ball."

The Trojans return to action on Jan. 13 to face Maryland in their first home game of the new year, with tip-off set for 7:30 p.m. PT on FS1.