USC Men's Basketball's Second Half Rally Falls Short Against Ohio State

Wednesday, February 26

Los Angeles, Calif.

7:30 p.m.

USC

14-14,6-11Big Ten

Ohio State

16-13,8-10Big Ten

Ohio St.

Southern California

USC Men's Basketball's Second Half Rally Falls Short Against Ohio State

February 27, 2025 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Post-Game Press Conference

Wesley Yates III put up a game-high 27 points.

LOS ANGELES – USC Men's Basketball (14-14, 6-11 Big Ten) returned to the Galen Center to take on the Ohio State Buckeyes. Both teams have lost their last three games and hoped to get back in the win column. Despite their second-half efforts, the Trojans could not find a way to pull out this win as they lost 87-82 to the Buckeyes.

HOW IT HAPPENED
From the very first basket, both of these teams came out strong as they exchanged baskets through the first five minutes of the game. That's when the Buckeyes started pulling ahead, going on a six-point run that caused USC to be down by nine. They didn't stop there. The Buckeyes continued on, securing a 15-point lead with just eight minutes left in the first half. This is when the Trojans picked up the pace. They came back to get within nine thanks to some key plays from Clark Slajchert and Wesley Yates III. But the Buckeyes responded quickly, going on yet another run late in the first to extend the lead. USC finished the first half down by 14 as the score sat at 52-38 in favor of the visiting team.

Rashaun Agee and Yates started this second half off strong for the Trojans. Even with the two baskets they tallied, the Buckeyes went to the free-throw line just as many times as the Trojans couldn't close in. That was until Yates kicked his game into a new gear, scoring eight points in five minutes. The Trojans also prevented Ohio State from scoring for over two minutes, chipping away even more. USC battled back from the 17-point deficit, tying up the game with just one minute left. Even though they hung tight for most of that time, the game was decided in the final 20 seconds. Ohio State executed from the free throw line while USC couldn't sink a basket, resulting in the Trojans losing 87-82 to the Buckeyes.

NOTABLES

In his 140th career game, Chibuzo Agbo had a great offensive performance as he tallied 17 points. This is the fourth straight game at Galen Center where Agbo has scored in double digits.
Chibuzo Agbo eclipsed 100 made field goals in 2024-25. Over half of his field goals have come from behind the three-point line. He currently sits at 102.
Wesley Yates III scored double-digit points for the 16th-straight game as he finished with 27. It is Yates' third straight game with at least 20 points. Not only that, but he also led the team in steals with two.
Rashaun Agee had a strong performance on offense, going 4-5 from the field and logging his eighth double-digit game this season.
The Trojans had four players score in the double digits: Wesley Yates III (27), Chibuzo Agbo (17), Desmond Claude (12) and Rashaun Agee (12)
USC played strong defense in the second half, holding Ohio State to just 33 percent shooting. The Trojans also prevented the Buckeyes from scoring a field goal over nine minutes.
Saint Thomas led the Trojans in both rebounds and assists against the Buckeyes, finishing with five of each.

QUOTABLES
Coach Eric Musselman on Rashaun Agee's impact off the bench…
"I thought Rashaun did a great job. We were able to switch one through five [on the ball handler] in the second half, and I thought that really helped us."

Coach Eric Musselman on Wesley Yates III and his development throughout the season…
"Wesley is a big part of what we are trying to do. He's taken the opportunity and ran with it. He's one of the best freshmen in the Big Ten and I hope he is a big piece for us next year."

Coach Eric Musselman on how to regroup moving forward…
"We have to play way better at home. We have to play better basketball so people want to come watch us. We got to play cleaner basketball."

Wesley Yates III on his growth throughout the season…
"I missed a whole year not being able to play basketball. I couldn't work out for a long time…so it was really just me getting back in my groove. I feel like I can play with the best of the best, and [Coach] allowing me to play, because nobody knows what I would be able to do if I didn't play. Him being able to trust me and him giving me that confidence allows me to go out there and play freely."

Wesley Yates III on his future playing for Coach Musselman…
"I'm locked in here. We've just got to get through this season, taking it one game at a time. He has been helping me every day to become a better person, helping me become a better basketball player. You can see it translate on the court, that belief he has in me…I can't thank him enough for allowing me to be me and allowing me to grow as this individual."

UP NEXT
The Trojans will play their final road game of the regular season as they take on the Oregon Ducks in Eugene, Oregon. Tipoff will be at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 1. Fans can watch all the action on the Big Ten Network or listen through ESPN LA 710.