USC vs. Purdue — as it happened
Last updated:
Scoring plays
Win probability
Game flow
Leaders
Points |
Rebounds |
Assists |
(Matthew Diederich / Daily Trojan file photo)
📌 PINNED
Sean Campbell & Dillon Zamperin from Galen Center
Free throw, 3-point woes lead to tough 69-64 loss to No. 5 Purdue
A horrible collective 5-of-14 shooting from the free throw line was highlighted late in USC’s tough 69-64 loss to Purdue on Saturday. To close it out, Jordan Marsh had a chance to keep it close but missed back-to-back shots from the charity stripe to all but end the game.
USC also struggled from beyond the arc, making just 3-of-20 attempts.
Jacob Cofie’s 13-point, 15-rebound double-double was a highlight for the Trojans, alongside Chad Baker-Mazara’s team-high 15-point effort coming back from a neck injury. Ezra Ausar and Gabe Dynes were two other players who made impacts offensively, scoring 11 and 8 points respectively.
We are reporting live from Galen Center. Refresh to see new updates.
5:22 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Associate Managing Editor
A horrible collective 5-of-14 shooting from the free throw line was highlighted late in USC’s tough 69-64 loss to Purdue on Saturday. To close it out, Jordan Marsh had a chance to keep it close but missed back-to-back shots from the charity stripe to all but end the game.
USC also struggled from beyond the arc, making just 3-of-20 attempts.
Jacob Cofie’s 13-point, 15-rebound double-double was a highlight for the Trojans, alongside Chad Baker-Mazara’s team-high 15-point effort coming back from a neck injury. Ezra Ausar and Gabe Dynes were two other players who made impacts offensively, scoring 11 and 8 points respectively.
5:02 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Associate Managing Editor
Marsh missed a free throw. Then he missed another one. That’s about all she wrote.
The Trojan forward was intentionally fouled with USC down by 3 and he couldn’t convert. Purdue now has the lead 67-64 and a chance to take two free throws. The Trojans have made just 5-of-14 free throws this game.
5:00 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Associate Managing Editor
Another Ausar score, bringing him up to 11 points to go along with eight rebounds, brought the Trojans back within 1, but a necessary foul followed by two made free throws has Purdue back up by 3 points, 67-64, with 13.6 seconds to play.
4:56 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Associate Managing Editor
Just like that, it might all be over.
The Trojans were driving, down 1 and needing a score. Then, Brownell passed the ball straight to Smith, who took it all the way for his 19th and 20th points that pushed Purdue back up by 3, 65-62. USC will need a trey and a stop to have a hope at pushing this game into overtime.
“Let’s go Boilers” chants completely engulfed the Spirit of Troy as both teams prepare their final plays with 22.9 seconds left on the clock. “Sweet Caroline” hopes to bring USC’s hopes back to life as the Purdue timeout winds down.
4:53 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Associate Managing Editor
While falling down, Baker-Mazara gave USC a chance.
A prayer of a floating shot swished into the net to close the gap to 63-62. Trojan ball.
4:51 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Associate Managing Editor
And now it’s tied. Again.
Two more points for Cluff, who now has 16 on the night, tied the game back up at 60 for the eighth tie of the game.
4:50 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Associate Managing Editor
Ausar does it again.
After another score from the USC forward, who has 9 points on 3-of-5 shooting, the Trojans are up 60-58 and has the ball back with just over three minutes to play.
4:43 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Associate Managing Editor
A struggle to make the 3-ball, including issues on back-to-back possessions with around six minutes to go, has significantly hampered the Trojans’ ability to maintain a lead late in this game.
However, a slam dunk from Ausar was all it took to take the lead back, 58-57, going into a Purdue timeout. Ausar now has 7 points on 2-for-4 shooting, while Woods has also turned it up lately, making 3-of-5 shots for 8 points.
Smith has been held to nothing in the second half, still with 18 points for the Boilermakers, though Cluff has improved to 6-for-6 and 14 points to keep Purdue in the game.
4:33 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Associate Managing Editor
Despite the best efforts of Cofie, who now has 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting and 10 rebounds for a double-double, the Boilermakers have brought the game back to a tie at 54-54, and Purdue will now take two free throws for the lead.
4:24 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Associate Managing Editor
Early on, USC was up 22-8 and looked to be prepared for a massive upset win over Purdue. Then, when Purdue stormed back to jump up 38-32 at halftime, it looked like the Trojans had been exposed.
Now, it’s anybody’s game.
The game has tied at 43, 45, 47 and 49 as it has become a back-and-forth affair.
Cofie made a mid-range jumper to improve his total to 11 points to go along with a team-high seven rebounds. USC leads 51-49 with about 10 minutes to play in the game.
4:15 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Associate Managing Editor
There’s Baker-Mazara.
A fast-break, acrobatic score off a dish from Cofie to improve his total to a team-high 13 points has USC back in the lead at 43-42 heading into a media timeout.
4:12 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Associate Managing Editor
It’s free throw time at Galen Center.
After not making a single point from the charity stripe in the first half, Ausar and Woods have made two a piece to bring the Trojans within 1 at 42-41 with about 16 minutes to play.
3:59 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Associate Managing Editor
Halftime efficiency report:
As a team, USC is shooting over 50% from the field at 15-for-29, but a below average 2-for-10 from beyond the arc and a failure to score even a single free throw in the first half has them down by 6 points in a game it was once winning by 14.
Baker-Mazara and Dynes are the obvious standouts for the Trojans, making four shots a piece for 8 points. Baker-Mazara is 4-for-7 with three rebounds and two assists, while Dynes has gone a perfect 4-for-4 and been a consistent presence on defense.
Ausar has hardly played despite starting the game, making his only shot. Cofie is also a perfect 2-for-2 with five rebounds, but hasn’t gotten the volume of shots to aid significantly on the scoring end.
Woods is 1-for-2, Marsh is 2-for-8 and Brownell is 1-for-3.
Cornish has had a tough day despite starting on the court. He is 0-for-2 from the field and Purdue has outscored the Trojans by 12 points.
For the Boilermakers, it has been all Smith. The guard has scored 18 points already on 6-of-9 shooting, including a perfect 4-for-4 on 3-pointers. Cluff is the only other Purdue player to have made more than one shot so far.
3:49 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Associate Managing Editor
Boilermaker nation, which showed up in full force in Los Angeles on Saturday, stood up to watch Smith launch a dagger in the face of the Trojans as the half wound down, improving Purdue’s lead to 38-32. Smith is now up to 18 points on 6-for-9 shooting, including four 3-pointers.
Behind him, Baker-Mazara and Dynes have 8 each for USC and senior center Oscar Cluff has six for Purdue.
3:45 p.m.
Dillon Zamperin, Men’s Basketball Beat Writer
After the Trojans started the game on a 22-8 run, the Boilermakers dominated the last 10 minutes of play, going on a 25-10 run to earn their first lead of the game at 33-32. USC has not scored in over two minutes as Smith, who leads the game with 13 points, prepares to take two free throws.
3:42 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Associate Managing Editor
Despite starting the game Ausar, Woods and Cornish have played under five minutes each, with Dynes, Cofie, Baker-Mazara, Marsh and graduate forward Jaden Brownell playing the most minutes so far.
Besides Baker-Mazara and Dynes, Cofie has performed well, scoring 4 points and securing a team-high five rebounds thus far. Marsh has struggled, shooting just 2-for-5 from the field, while the rest of the Trojan lineup has looked efficient thus far.
3:38 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Associate Managing Editor
All of a sudden, we’ve got a game.
The time when USC was leading 22-8 seems long gone as Purdue clawed back to be down by as few as two points late in the first half. Thanks to the efforts of Dynes, who is a perfect 4-for-4 for 8 points from the field, and Baker-Mazara, who also has 8 points on 4-for-6 shooting, the Trojans are still in the lead, but it is nowhere near as secure as it was mere minutes ago.
The Purdue crowd is about as dominant as it could be at a nearly full Galen Center. After the timeout, the Trojans will need to take control of the game and establish presence in the crowd if they hope to continue their lead into the second half against a red-hot, No. 5 Purdue squad.
3:33 p.m.
Dillon Zamperin, Men’s Basketball Beat Writer
The Trojans were held scoreless during a roughly four minute, 8-0 Boilermaker run, before Dynes slammed his second dunk of the game to give USC some momentum back.
The Trojans are up 24-18 with about six minutes left in the first half.
3:28 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Associate Managing Editor
Purdue has finally ended its seven-and-a-half minute scoring drought, earning a second-chance, contested two-pointer with about nine minutes to play in the first half. The Boilermakers then scored another 4 quick points, lighting up the Purdue-dominated crowd.
USC leads 22-14 with under eight minutes to play in the first half.
3:24 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Associate Managing Editor
Already, three Trojans have scored multiple baskets: Dynes, Cofie and Baker-Mazara, while only three Boilermakers have made shots and none of those three have made multiple.
3:22 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Associate Managing Editor
USC has been on a 9-0 run over the last three minutes of play and has completely assumed control of this game and the crowd. While the crowd was all Purdue to begin the game, a steal from Baker-Mazara that resulted in a fast-break slam silenced the visiting crowd and got the entire Trojan squad off the bench in excitement at the start of a Purdue timeout.
The Trojans now lead 22-8 midway through the first half.
3:18 p.m.
Dillon Zamperin, Men’s Basketball Beat Writer
Early miscommunication on the offensive end for the Trojans results in their fourth turnover in just the first seven minutes of the game, but good defense from Dynes and multiple missed 3-pointers for the Boilermakers have USC up 17-8 with about 12.5 minutes left in the first half.
Dynes has made two consecutive buckets for USC, including a forceful slam on a dish from Marsh.
As a team, Purdue is just 3-for-10 from the field, while USC is a stellar 8-for-10, with both of its misses coming from beyond the arc.
3:13 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Associate Managing Editor
After Dynes secured an offensive rebound on a missed 3-pointer from Baker-Mazara, he dished to Cofie who landed the first trey of the game for USC, putting them up 11-8 with about 14 minutes to play in the first half.
3:13 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Associate Managing Editor
Baker-Mazara entered the game in the first set of substitutions, making his first shot to tie the game at 8. Junior guard Jordan Marsh has also entered the game in place of Woods.
3:10 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Associate Managing Editor
While the Trojans began the game by making their first three shots, the Boilermakers have made it count from beyond the arc, with both sophomore guard Giyani Harris and senior guard Braden Smith nailing treys to put Purdue up 8-6 with just over 16 minutes left in the first half.
Musselman threw Ausar’s ripped jersey on the ground in frustration with officials during a brief stoppage of play.
3:05 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Associate Managing Editor
Baker-Mazara is dressed for the game and is sitting on the bench with a heating pad on his shoulder and neck area. He appears likely to play in some capacity.
2:57 p.m.
Dillon Zamperin, Men’s Basketball Beat Writer
Musselman will roll out the same starting lineup that played in Tuesday’s win against Maryland.
G Kam Woods
G Ryan Cornish
F Jacob Cofie
F Ezra Ausar
C Gabe Dynes
Senior forward Ezra Ausar and sophomore forward Jacob Cofie will make their team-leading 18th starts. Graduate guard Ryan Cornish, graduate guard Kam Woods and junior center Gabe Dynes round out the rest of the starting five.
Baker-Mazara is notably missing from the starting unit despite not being listed on the Big Ten’s Availability Report before the game. It is unclear whether he will be available in a limited capacity Saturday.
2:51 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Associate Managing Editor
With just under four minutes until tipoff, the crowd at Galen Center has erupted into chants of “Let’s go Boilers” as it is crowded with a majority black and gold.
2:42 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Associate Managing Editor
Graduate guard Chad Baker-Mazara was not listed on the Big Ten’s Availability Report before the game, meaning he will likely be available for the Trojans as a much-needed offensive sparkplug against a 16-1 Purdue team. Baker-Mazara, who leads all active Trojans with 19.1 points per game, played just eight minutes in USC’s win against Maryland on Tuesday after injuring his neck previously.
Freshman guard Alijah Arenas, junior guard Rodney Rice and senior forward Amarion Dickerson were all listed as out on the injury report. Arenas is projected to debut for the Trojans later this month, Dickerson may return by the end of the season but that won’t be anytime soon and Rice was officially ruled out for the season by Head Coach Eric Musselman in January.
