LOS ANGELES — The USC Trojans used a dominant second half to pull away from the Maryland Terrapins in an 88-71 victory Tuesday night at the Galen Center.
USC broke open a tightly contested game with a 10-0 run early in the second half and never relinquished control, improving to 14-3 overall and 3-3 in Big Ten play. The Trojans shot efficiently and showed balance on both ends of the floor, finishing at 52 percent from the field and outscoring Maryland by 17 points after halftime.
Jordan Marsh led USC with 20 points, including four 3-pointers, providing a spark for an offense that featured contributions throughout the lineup. Ezra Ausar and Jacob Cofie each scored 12 points, while Gabe Dynes and Jerry Easter II added 10 apiece as USC placed five players in double figures.
The first half featured multiple lead changes and long scoreless stretches for both teams. Maryland briefly carried momentum into the locker room, but USC quickly flipped the script coming out of halftime, tightening its defense and accelerating the pace offensively.
Maryland cut the deficit to four midway through the second half, but the Terrapins went cold from the field for several minutes as USC capitalized with points in transition and inside the paint. The Trojans finished with a significant rebounding advantage and repeatedly converted second-chance opportunities.
David Coit scored 30 points to lead Maryland, which dropped to 7-10 overall and 0-6 in conference play. Despite Coit’s scoring effort, the Terrapins struggled to contain USC’s balanced attack and could not sustain consistent offense down the stretch.
USC will look to build on the win as it continues Big Ten play later this week, while Maryland remains in search of its first conference victory.