USC basketball team fails to keep up with New Mexico, loses 2-0 in Palm Springs – Orange County Register

PALM SPRINGS – USC’s Thanksgiving week trip to the desert produced no wins but left the Trojans with plenty to do.

Tru Washington scored 20 points, Donovan Dent added 17 points, 11 assists and six rebounds and New Mexico beat USC 83-73 on Friday night in the third-place game of the four-team Acrisure Classic.

Nelly Junior Joseph added 15 points for New Mexico (6-2) and Mustapha Amzil scored 10.

Dent and Washington scored three points after a fast break layup by CJ Noland and Atiki. Ally Atiki threw down a dunk to cap a 10-0 run that made the score 57-43 with 13:14 left and the Lobos led by double digits heading into the final seconds.

Josh Cohen scored 14 points for USC (5-3). Chibuzo Agbo had 13 points and seven rebounds, Desmond Claude had 13 points and three steals and Terrence Williams II scored 11. Saint Thomas had nine points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals.

Agbo hit two 3-pointers before Cohen jumped to give the Trojans an 8-4 lead, but New Mexico scored the next eight points. Thomas answered with a 3-pointer and Williams made the first of two free throws to tie the score about 3 minutes later, but Braden Appelhans answered with a 3-pointer to increase the score to 15 with 11:38 left in the first half :12 Lobos never lagged behind again.

Dent is the only player in the country to record at least 10 points and five assists in every game this season.

USC was defeated by St. Mary’s 71-36 in its home opener on Thursday night.

NEXT

USC opens Big Ten play against Oregon on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Galen Center.

Originally published: November 29, 2024 at 11:36 pm PST