USC Men's Basketball's Strong First Half Isn't Enough Against Ducks

Saturday, March 1

Eugene, Ore.

1:00 p.m.

USC

14-15,6-12Big Ten

Oregon

21-8,10-8Big Ten

Southern California

Oregon

USC Men's Basketball's Strong First Half Isn't Enough Against Ducks

March 01, 2025 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Rashaun Agee had a career performance with 29 points and 14 rebounds.

EUGENE, Ore. – The USC Men's Basketball team (14-15, 6-12 Big Ten) headed to the Pacific Northwest to face a familiar opponent in Oregon for the second time this season. Despite the close game at the half, the Trojans could not stay within reach as they fell 82-61 to the Ducks.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Rashaun Agee made the Trojans' first three baskets to push USC ahead of Oregon in the first four minutes of the game. Those baskets, along with a dunk from Saint Thomas, gave USC a 10-point run to give them some early momentum. By the time Oregon called a timeout, the Trojans were up by 11. This only lasted for a short time. The Ducks pushed back, tying the game up with 13 minutes left to go in the first. From there, these two teams played a chippy game with no one getting ahead by more than three points. In the final two minutes of the half, the Ducks started to make their move. They scored seven straight points while the Trojans remained in a scoring drought, which caused USC to lose the lead. With this late run in the first half, the Ducks grabbed a five-point lead at the half as USC went to the locker room down 39-34.

The second half started the same way the first half ended as Oregon grabbed five unanswered points in the first two minutes. USC stopped them there. With Wesley Yates III pushing his way through the lane for a three-point play, the Trojans began to close in on the Ducks. USC got within four, but that is when Oregon got hot yet again. They regained their 10-point lead while USC only made one basket in nine attempts with just nine minutes left in the game. The Ducks kicked it into another gear yet again, going on a 19-2 run over the Trojans over five minutes. By the time the final buzzer sounded, USC could not find a way to come back in this one as they lost 82-61.

NOTABLES

Rashaun Agee had a career game for the Trojans as he grabbed the first double-double of the season with 29 points and 14 rebounds. He also had his career-high in blocks as he rejected six shots. Agee's outing also resulted in him grabbing three steals and an assist.
Chibuzo Agbo was second on the team in scoring as he contributed 13 in today's contest. Along with that, he crashed the boards, securing seven, while also snagging two steals.
Wesley Yates III had his 22nd double-digit performance against Oregon, tallying 12 points, while adding on four rebounds and three assists.
Three Trojans scored in the double digits -- Rashaun Agee (29), Chibuzo Agbo (13) and Wesley Yates III (12).
Saint Thomas surpassed 285 career assists. He now sits at 287 all-time assists. He filled the sheet with seven rebounds, four assists and a team-high four steals.
USC had four dunks against the Ducks, going 4-4 on Saturday.
The Trojans also had a stellar first half when it came to defending the arc. They kept the Ducks to just 14.3 percent shooting from three in the first 20 minutes.

UP NEXT
The Trojans will play their final game of the regular season in the Galen Center as they take on Washington for Senior Night. Tipoff between the Trojans and the Huskies will be at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 5. Fans who can't make it to the Galen Center can watch on the Big Ten Network or listen through ESPN LA 710. There will also be a ceremony to celebrate the team's eight seniors following the game.