Rutgers University
9-13,2-9Big Ten
USC
16-6,5-6Big Ten
Men's Basketball Rally Comes Up Short at USC, 78–75
Jan 31 | Men's Basketball
LOS ANGELES – Rutgers men's basketball mounted a furious second-half comeback but ultimately came up just short in a 78–75 loss to USC on Friday afternoon at the Galen Center.
The Scarlet Knights trailed by as many as 19 points early in the second half after USC opened the game shooting 55 percent in the first half and carried a 40–30 lead into the break. Rutgers responded with its best stretch of basketball over the final 10 minutes, trimming the deficit possession by possession and pulling within one in the closing seconds.
Tariq Francis fueled the rally with a game-high 26 points, scoring at all three levels and attacking downhill late as Rutgers forced turnovers and converted in transition. Dylan Grant added 14 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double, while Harun Zrno and Lino Mark each knocked down timely threes to keep the Scarlet Knights within striking distance.
Rutgers outscored USC 45–38 in the second half and finished with advantages in second-chance points (19–7) and bench scoring (47–8), but USC's efficiency at the free-throw line and early scoring cushion proved too much to overcome. Ezra Ausar led the Trojans with 21 points, while Jacob Cofie added 15 points and 10 rebounds.
After cutting the deficit to three in the final minute, Rutgers had a chance to tie, but USC came up with a late steal to seal the win.
Rutgers moves to 9–13 overall and 2–9 in Big Ten play and continues its West Coast trip with a matchup at UCLA on Tuesday night on Big Ten Network.
