USC Men’s Basketball Season Wraps Up with Overtime Loss in Big Ten Tournament
CHICAGO — USC’s hopes for a successful season came to a definitive end on Tuesday, following a heart-wrenching 83-79 overtime defeat to Washington in the Big Ten tournament. This loss marked the Trojans’ eighth consecutive defeat and solidified a disappointing conclusion to a tumultuous season.
Despite holding a 13-point lead in the second half and possessing the ball at the end of regulation, USC was unable to secure victory. Critical opportunities slipped away as Kam Woods missed two crucial shots, and Jordan Marsh failed to convert in the closing moments of overtime.
The defeat against the 12th-seeded Huskies (16-16) underscored a challenging stretch for the Trojans, who had previously faced significant setbacks, including a dismissal of leading scorer Chad Baker-Mazara and two heavy losses against UCLA.
Woods led the Trojans with 24 points, while teammates Jacob Cofie and Marsh added 14 and 13 points, respectively. Ryan Cornish chipped in with 10 points. Notably, Alijah Arenas, who had been USC’s scoring leader in recent games, managed only six points on 3-for-10 shooting and spent the last six minutes of regulation and almost all of overtime on the bench.
Once a promising team, having secured the Maui Invitational and boasting an 18-6 record after a win against Penn State on February 8, USC appeared poised for an NCAA tournament bid. However, injuries to key players, including Rodney Rice and Amarion Dickerson, combined with Baker-Mazara’s dismissal, contributed to a rapid decline.
Tuesday’s defeat ultimately symbolized the culmination of frustration for USC in a season marred by difficulties.
