Los Angeles, CA- Sometimes a game turns not on a timeout board, but on a feel for the moment. USC Trojans men’s basketball found that moment early in the second half and never gave it back, pulling away from the Maryland Terrapins men’s basketball for an 88-71 Big Ten Conference win at Galen Center, Tuesday, Jan. 13.
The separation came through adjustments on both ends of the floor.
USC clung to a 42-41 halftime lead when Ausar pushed the pace at the 15:05 mark of the second half, finishing a fast-break hook shot through contact and converting the three-point play. That sequence flipped the energy. The Trojans didn’t look back.
Jordan Marsh was the tone-setter. Subbed in early after halftime, Marsh applied downhill pressure, sped up the game and delivered shot-making when it mattered. He finished with 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including 4 of 9 from beyond the arc, while adding four assists and four rebounds in just over 24 minutes.
Maryland guard David Coit was electric early, scoring 19 of his game-high 30 points in the first half. USC coach Eric Musselman adjusted defensively, assigning Jerry Easter to Coit coming out of the locker room. The coverage tightened, forcing tougher looks and disrupting Maryland’s offensive rhythm.
The decisive moments came above the rim. Gabe Dynes finished an alley-oop dunk off a Marsh assist at the 11:38 mark of the second half, then followed with a tip jam at 16:46 — momentum plays that stretched the margin and lifted the building.
Musselman praised his depth, calling it “the most bench points we’ve had all year,” and said he was “super proud of this group.” USC logged 235 passes, its highest total of the season, a reflection of the ball movement that broke the game open.
USC (14-3) next hosts Purdue, while Maryland (7-10) returns home to face Penn State.
