USC Men's Basketball's Efforts Come Up Short Against UCLA

Monday, January 27

Los Angeles, Calif.

7:00 p.m.

USC

12-8,4-5Big Ten

UCLA

15-6,6-4Big Ten

UCLA

Southern California

Photo by: John McGillen/USC Athletics

USC Men's Basketball's Efforts Come Up Short Against UCLA

January 28, 2025 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Post-Game Press Conference

Rashaun Agee put up a season-high 21 points for the Trojans.

LOS ANGELES – The USC Men's Basketball team (12-8, 4-5 Big Ten) returned to Galen Center for their first of two games this week as they took on the UCLA Bruins. This historic rivalry was filled with all the action fans would expect as the Trojans were within one with less than two minutes to go. Despite that effort, USC could not find a way to finish the night with a win as they fell 82-76.

HOW IT HAPPENED
USC started this game with six straight points to grab the lead over UCLA. However, UCLA responded quickly, breaking into the lane numerous times to go up by five. It continued this way through most of the game. Every time the Trojans would score, the Bruins would respond as UCLA kept their five-point lead. USC vied with UCLA through the rest of the first half, which caused the Trojans to be down 42-37 heading into the half.

The second half did not start in favor of the Trojans as they could not sink a basket through the first three minutes. That was until Wesley Yates III grabbed a three-pointer, giving USC some much-needed momentum. Just as quickly as USC got the momentum, UCLA took it away as they grew their lead to 11. Heading into the final four minutes of play, the Trojans battled back, getting within three of their crosstown rivals. By the final minute, the momentum shifted back to UCLA as they went to the charity stripe three times in 28 seconds. It was all the Bruins needed to leave Galen with a win as USC fell to UCLA 82-76.

NOTABLES

In his 20th career game, Wesley Yates III scored 19 points on 50 percent shooting. This was Yates III's eighth consecutive game registering double-digit points.
USC's first five baskets were all three-pointers to open the game. The team ended up shooting 35.5 percent from three-point range.
Rashaun Agee threw down a ferocious dunk with 11:04 remaining in the first half.
Rashaun Agee scored a season-high 21 points along with five rebounds. This is his first game he led the team in scoring. He has logged double-digit points in four of his last five outings.
Chibuzo Agbo surpassed 1,150 career points and currently sits at 1,155.
Saint Thomas eclipsed 500 career rebounds against the Bruins. He now sits at 506 career rebounds. He was also the only Trojan to hit double digits against the Bruins in the first half, scoring 10 points.
Clark Slajchert hit a three for the second consecutive game - he finished with five points, three assists and two rebounds.
Saint Thomas turned in his fourth straight game with double-digit scoring as he posted 13 points. He also tallied eight rebounds and six assists.
Four Trojans turned in double-digit performances against the Bruins - Rashaun Agee (21), Wesley Yates III (19), Saint Thomas (13) and Desmond Claude (12)
Entering tonight's contest, UCLA averaged 32.9 rebounds per game, but the Trojans held the Bruins to 30 boards on Monday evening.
Tonight marked the 264th meeting between USC and UCLA. The Trojans and Bruins will face off once more this season at Pauley Pavillion on Saturday, March 8.

QUOTABLES
Coach Eric Musselman on Rashaun Agee's performance tonight and overall improvement:
"Rashaun was phenomenal against their hard hedge and that was part of the game plan. He is playing with a lot of energy. He was one of the best rebounders in the country last year and he's added a lot to his offensive game. With a matchup against a 7-foot-3 guy, Rashaun held his own."

Coach Eric Musselman on learning from this game and moving forward for the Trojans:
"I think you learn from every game, whether you win or lose. Next time we get together, we'll try to correct some things."

Coach Eric Musselman on emphasizing three-point attempts against UCLA:
"That was a part of the game plan. Without making the threes in the first half, we'd probably be down by a much larger margin. We end up shooting 36 percent from three, which is a pretty good number especially when you take the volume of that."

Rashaun Agee on his improvement over the last few games:
"The turning point was continuing to believe in myself and continuing to understand that one day things will click and things will get better. Understanding that it's basketball and every day you come in and you practice. I'm going to do my job."

Rashaun Agee on improving the team's performance at home:
"The way that we start games at home is not the same way we start games on the road. We start the games on the road by punching first. We feel like we're underdogs when we are away because the atmosphere at the Big Ten schools is always different in every single game we play. So when we come home, we get a little too relaxed."

Wesley Yates III on missed free throws at the end of the game:
"I'm trying to be more focused. I've got to step up like I did before and I have to be mature enough to go do that every game, every opportunity I get."

Wesley Yates III on how he can continue to improve as a starter:
"I have to find ways to impact the game without scoring. Rebounds, deflections, whatever my team needs to get the win. The work that I put in is showing, even when I wasn't playing earlier in the season. Once I keep working, I'm going to keep playing better."

UP NEXT
The Trojans will return to Galen Center this Saturday, Feb. 1, to take on the No. 7 Michigan State Spartans. The game will tip off at 1:30 p.m. PT on Peacock. Fans can also follow the action by listening to ESPN LA 710.