LOS ANGELES – The USC Trojans faltered late in the game against their crosstown rival, as the UCLA Bruins won, 82-76 on Monday night at the Galen Center.
The Bruins led by as much as 12 points midway through the second half, but the Trojans managed to cut the deficit to just one. With 1:37 remaining, Saint Thomas went to the free-throw line but missed both attempts. The Trojans struggled at the line throughout the game, shooting 11 of 19. Notably, five of their eight missed free throws occurred in the final five minutes, disappointing the 7,532 fans in the arena.
“We have to play better at home,” Musselman said. “We missed crucial free throws.”
Rashaun Agee provided a crucial spark for the Trojans once again, coming off the bench to score a career-high 21 points and grabbing five rebounds against the Bruins. Wesley Yates III played 39 minutes, contributing 19 points and going 4 for 9 from three-point range.
In the first half, Thomas and Yates III excelled for the Trojans. Thomas scored 10 points, while Yates III added eight, including two three-pointers that kept USC competitive. The Trojans made 7 of 17 from beyond the arc in the first half.
Former Trojan guard Kobe Johnson returned to the Galen Center after spending the previous three seasons at USC under coach Andy Enfield, who took the head coaching position at SMU during the offseason. From the beginning of the game, Johnson faced boos every time he touched the ball. He performed well, shooting a perfect 3 for 3 from the field and finishing with seven points, three rebounds, and two assists in 28 minutes before fouling out late in the second half.
Freshman Trent Perry had initially committed to play for the Trojans after graduating from Harvard-Westlake, but he decommitted when head coach Enfield left for SMU. After Enfield’s departure, Perry decided not to remain at USC and reopened his recruitment. UCLA coach Mick Cronin then stepped in and secured Perry's commitment, successfully bringing him to UCLA from the crosstown rival. Perry faced some light boos from the crowd.
Perry, 20, is currently averaging 4.1 points and 1.8 rebounds in his first season with the Bruins. However, his performance on this particular night was not as strong; he went 0 for 2 from the field but made all five of his free throw attempts, ending the game with five points in 12 minutes of play.
UCLA’s Eric Dailey Jr. led his team with 16 points and six rebounds. The Bruins scored 28 points in the paint, aided by Aday Mara, who contributed significantly by shooting 6 of 11 from the field and finishing with 12 points and 11 rebounds in 27 minutes. Mara also made an impact on defense, blocking five shots to complement his double-double performance.
The Bruins launched a 6-0 run at the start of the second half, taking an 11-point lead and maintaining their advantage for the rest of the game. The Trojans struggled defensively throughout the night, with Eric Musselman noticing that his players weren’t fully engaged right from the opening tip-off. They missed two loose balls early in the game, setting a discouraging tone.
USC now has a record of 12-8 for the season and 4-5 in conference play as they prepare to host the No. 7 Michigan State Spartans on Saturday afternoon at the Galen Center.
