Indianapolis, IN- In their first Big Ten Tournament appearance, USC survived a March Madness classic, outlasting Rutgers 97-89 in double overtime behind Desmond Claude’s 28 points.
“That’s a game on why tournament play is so fun and exciting,” USC head coach Eric Musselman said. “Double overtime game, obviously with two teams that I thought both played really, really hard.”
USC made a statement in its first-ever Big Ten Tournament appearance, jumping on Rutgers early and taking a 41-30 lead into halftime in Indianapolis.
The Trojans set the tone behind hot shooting and strong rebounding, outpacing the Scarlet Knights with a 48% clip from the field (13-27) and a deadly 6-for-12 from deep. Rutgers, on the other hand, struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 2-of-12. USC also won the battle on the glass, limiting second-chance opportunities.
Rutgers had a sloppy start, coughing up three turnovers by the 11:44 mark. The early miscues gave USC momentum, and freshmen Wesley Yates III and Chibuzo Agbo capitalized. Both were aggressive in attacking the rim and making plays, scoring eight apiece within the game’s first ten minutes.
Matt Knowling brought the energy with a powerful flush, while on the other end, Rutgers’ own young duo, Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, provided a much-needed highlight. Harper found Bailey for a slick alley-oop, bringing the Scarlet Knights fans to their feet and giving Rutgers a brief spark.
Harper took matters into his own hands late in the half, elevating his aggression to keep Rutgers within striking distance. The freshman standout finished the first half with 10 points, three rebounds, and three assists.
However, USC had the final say before the break. Rashaun Agee drilled a deep three at the buzzer, capping off a strong first half and putting USC back up by double digits. Agee led all scorers at the half with 12, while Agbo chipped in 11 and Yates finished with 8.
Both teams brought a strong contingent of fans to the game, but it was the Trojans faithful celebrating at halftime. Rutgers will need a big second-half push to flip the script and keep its tournament hopes alive.
Rutgers clawed back in the second half, despite star freshman Ace Bailey’s foul trouble keeping him on the bench early. Yates pushed USC’s lead to 12, but Bailey’s return at the 15-minute mark ignited the Scarlet Knights. A tough and-one finish from Bailey cut the deficit to five, and after a chippy sequence led to a review stoppage, momentum shifted.
