WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – The USC Trojans suffered a loss to No. 7 Purdue on the road, 90-72. Despite some career-high performances from the Trojans on the offensive end, their defensive efforts were not sufficient on Friday night at Mackey Arena.
Despite losing by 18 points on the road, freshman Wesley Yates III scored a career-high 30 points, along with four rebounds and two assists, on a night when he faced foul trouble against a tough Purdue team. Yates III came out firing on all cylinders, scoring 22 points in the first half and reaching his career high with a fast-break layup over two defenders as the buzzer sounded to end the first half. Unfortunately, the second half did not start the way he had hoped, as he picked up his fourth foul just three minutes in.
Yates III became the 44th player to reach the 30-point club in USC basketball history.
Yates III was the only player contributing to the offense for USC, with no one else scoring more than four points in the first half. Saint Thomas had a particularly tough time, remaining scoreless in the first half and picking up his fourth foul midway through the second half. Meanwhile, Thomas went scoreless in 35 minutes of play and attempted only one field goal during that time. It's also worth noting that Thomas played a full 40 minutes, scoring four points on Wednesday against Northwestern.
The Trojans utilized their bench extensively, giving Isaiah Elohim some playing time after he had only appeared for one minute in each of his last three games, going scoreless in all three. In his last game on December 22nd, Elohim scored six points in six minutes. This time, he made an impact by scoring 11 points in 14 minutes. Jalen Shelley also had 10 points, six rebounds, and three blocks in 19 minutes. Like Elohim, Shelley had not seen much playing time; his last points came on December 18th against Cal State Northridge, where he managed only two points in four minutes.
After an impressive performance against Northwestern, Clark Slajchert was added to the starting lineup due to USC's leading scorer, Desmond Claude, being out for the second consecutive game. However, Slajchert struggled against the Boilermakers, who effectively shut him down in the first half. He did not make a single field goal during that period and finished with seven points, missing all six of his three-point attempts.
USC faced difficulties on the defensive end, particularly against Trey Kaufman-Renn. He scored 24 points, collected 10 rebounds, and recorded two blocks, shooting 8 of 12 from the field. Braden Smith contributed nine points for Purdue, along with 13 assists and five steals.
The Boilermakers shot 50 percent overall and dominated the rebounding battle, outrebounding the Trojans 48-31. USC allowed 17 offensive rebounds, resulting in 23 second-chance points for Purdue.
Despite the Trojans' efforts to stay competitive against a ranked opponent, they struggled significantly with their shooting. They made only four three-pointers out of 26 attempts throughout the game. The situation worsened as they also missed 13 free throws. This issue with free throws has been a recurring problem. In their recent loss to Northwestern, they failed to convert seven of their 21 attempts, ultimately losing by two points. Similarly, in their previous defeat to UCLA last week, they made 11 out of 19 free throws and lost by six points.
The Trojans are facing a challenging stretch of games that could potentially act as a wake-up call for the entire program.
As the season draws to a close, this series of tough matchups presents a crucial opportunity for the team to assess their performance, identify areas for improvement, and build momentum heading into the final weeks. With each game carrying significant weight, the players and coaching staff will need to rally together and refine their strategies to enhance their chances of success as they prepare for the postseason. This pivotal moment could ultimately define the team’s trajectory as they strive to finish the season strong.
In the second half, while trailing by 23 points, USC coach Eric Musselman received a technical foul due to frustration, which seemed to characterize the Trojans' performance throughout the night.
The Trojans (13-10, 5-7) have lost six of their last ten games and their second consecutive game as they head back to Los Angeles to host Penn State (13-10, 3-9) on Tuesday night at the Galen Center.