In a thrilling matchup on Thursday night, USC narrowly edged out Troy with a 107-106 victory, thanks to a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Jordan Marsh. The game took place in Los Angeles and saw Chad Baker-Mazara achieve a personal best by scoring 34 points.
Despite leading throughout the third overtime, Troy lost possession after rebounding a missed drive by Baker-Mazara with about 10 seconds left on the clock. Rodney Rice seized the opportunity, retrieving the loose ball and passing it to Marsh, who, after a couple of dribbles, scored a decisive shot from near the top of the key. Watch the play here.
Rodney Rice also had a notable performance for USC, contributing 26 points and nine assists, while Ezra Ausar added 22 points. Despite being outrebounded by a significant margin—63-39 overall and 25-7 on the offensive end—USC managed to secure the win, improving their record to 4-0.
For Troy, Cooper Campbell was a standout player, scoring a career-high of 32 points, including 10 points in the third overtime. He also recorded six 3-pointers and contributed 12 rebounds and eight assists. Other notable performances came from Victor Valdes with 24 points, Theo Seng with 20 points, and Thomas Dowd, who scored 19 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.
The game saw numerous lead changes, with both teams locked at 29 by halftime. The competitive spirit continued into the overtimes, with Campbell forcing the first overtime by hitting a long-range 3-pointer with just under eight seconds remaining in regulation. USC’s Rice attempted to clinch the game with a turn-around jumper, but the shot missed its mark as the clock expired.
During the overtime periods, Seng’s layups in the closing seconds of the first overtime forced a second, while Dowd’s contested shot tied the game again in the second overtime, leading to the third and final period.
Upcoming Matches
Troy will next face Toledo on Monday, participating in the Coconut Hoops multi-team tournament in Ft. Myers, Florida. Meanwhile, USC is set to compete against Boise State in the Maui Invitational on Monday.
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