USC men routed by Nebraska after building halftime

With time working out to save its star-crossed season, USC put itself in place for a statement-making Saturday, only to see that dream devolve into a nightmare in an 82-67 loss to No. 12 Nebraska.

It was a painfully acquainted scene for the Trojans, who have discovered new methods to unravel after halftime all season. This time, their full-on collapse got here at the worst potential time, with their place on the NCAA event bubble as precarious as ever.

Freshman Alijah Arenas in the end led the Trojans (18-11, 7-11 Big Ten) with 14 factors, despite being held out of the beginning lineup for the first time since his return from injury. Sixth-year senior Chad Baker-Mazara got here alive in the first half with 14 factors, but barely performed in the second.

Just two regular-season video games stay for USC, both of which it could actually sick afford to lose. The Trojans’ midweek matchup in Seattle looms particularly large. A loss to the Huskies, who are 14-15, would make climbing back from the bubble brink particularly harrowing. Though, it was just two months in the past that Washington got here back to beat USC at home.

Any hope of a comeback for the Trojans on Saturday had slipped away by the midpoint of the second half. By then, a dream start and 36-31 halftime lead, had settled into a nightmarish second half for USC.

After capturing 52% from the sphere in the first half, the Trojans had been all of the sudden unable to discover the goal in the second. For the first 5 minutes of the half, a dunk from Jacob Cofie was USC’s only basket. During another five-minute stretch in the second half, USC couldn’t even handle any factors, let alone a dunk.

Its protection adopted go well with, with Nebraska piling up factors in the paint at will. Sixteen of their first 19 factors in the second half got here via dunk or lay-in.

By the time the Trojans finally discovered their footing, Nebraska was already nicely out in entrance, on its method to a comeback win.

For USC, it was an particularly bitter tablet to swallow, contemplating how nicely issues had began.

With every swing from USC’s offense early, Nebraska appeared to have a counterpunch. A chase-down block for the Trojans turned into a three-pointer for the Cornhuskers (25-4, 14-4). A turnover turned into a USC breakaway, which led to another Nebraska three-pointer.

Still, the Trojans regarded prepared for a battle in the start Saturday. They fired out into the lead behind another outburst from Baker-Mazara and largely without Arenas, who has struggled over his past three video games. The freshman performed 9 quiet minutes in the first half.

When Nebraska start line guard Sam Hoiberg drew a second foul that despatched him to the bench halfway through the half, USC took benefit, forcing six turnovers in 5 minutes from a Cornhuskers offense that all of the sudden regarded out of types.

A four-point deficit halfway through the first half turned into a five-point Trojan lead by halftime, with USC wanting primed for a signature afternoon.

But it took a matter of minutes for Nebraska to erase that momentum. Not long after that, the Trojans had been leaving the court in acquainted disappointment, their event hopes as tentative as ever.