Coming off a 71-36 defeat to Saint Mary’s, the Trojans struggled to regain their footing against New Mexico, falling short on both offense and defense in the Acrisure Classic’s third place game and suffering an 83-73 defeat.
Despite gaining an early lead fueled by graduate guard Chibuzo Agbo’s two three-pointers and a fast start from graduate forward Josh Cohen, USC couldn’t sustain its momentum. New Mexico quickly responded with an 8-0 run, taking control of the game.
The Lobos’ high-energy offense, led by junior guard Donovan Dent’s 17 points and 11 assists, kept the Trojans on their heels. Sophomore guard Tru Washington added 20 points for the Lobos, while redshirt senior center Nelly Junior Joseph and redshirt senior forward Mustapha Amzil combined for 25 points to round out a balanced attack.
USC entered halftime trailing 39-30, and while the Trojans briefly narrowed the deficit to four points early in the second half, the Lobos regained control with a decisive 10-0 run. This sequence, highlighted by three-pointers from Dent and Washington and a dunk from senior forward Atiki Ally Atiki, extended New Mexico’s lead to 57-43. The Trojans were unable to close the gap, trailing by double digits until the final seconds.
Cohen, Agbo and junior guard Desmond Claude contributed double-digit points for USC despite the losing effort. Agbo tied his season-high in rebounds with seven before fouling out late in the game. However, the Trojans’ efforts were hindered by defensive lapses and a season-low 13 points from the bench.
New Mexico’s ability to capitalize on turnovers and control the tempo showcased USC’s struggles, a continuous issue the Trojans also faced against Saint Mary’s. The Lobos maintained a balanced attack throughout the game, outmaneuvering the Trojans in transition and exposing defensive gaps.
Following the loss to Saint Mary’s, head coach Eric Musselman expressed frustration about the team’s struggles.
“We have a lot of work to do,” Musselman said via USC Athletics. “I’m extremely disappointed in so many different areas. We really struggled offensively and defensively.”
Musselman will need to help his squad address those issues urgently, as the Trojans, now 5-3, head back to Los Angeles with questions surrounding their readiness for Big Ten play. Friday’s loss to New Mexico marked the seventh time in eight games that USC has allowed 35 or more first-half points, a trend that Musselman will need to correct before his squad’s December 4 matchup against potential Big Ten high-fliers Oregon at Galen Center.
Though the Thanksgiving weekend didn’t go as USC hoped, it underscored areas for improvement. With conference play looming, the Trojans now face the challenge of regrouping, refining their defense and finding consistency.