Home / Sports / USC Rallies Without Star, Tops Seton Hall 83-81
USC Rallies Without Star, Tops Seton Hall 83-81
26 Nov
Summary
- USC Trojans rallied in the second half without leading scorer Rodney Rice.
- Chad Baker-Mazara and Ezra Ausur led the Trojans' offense.
- The Trojans secured an 83-81 victory over Seton Hall in a close game.
The USC Trojans secured a hard-fought 83-81 victory over Seton Hall in a dramatic Maui Invitational semifinal on Tuesday. The Trojans mounted a significant second-half rally, fueled by the combined efforts of Ezra Ausur, who posted a season-high 25 points, and Chad Baker-Mazara, who contributed 18 points.
Their comeback was critical after losing leading scorer Rodney Rice early in the second half due to an apparent upper arm or shoulder injury. Rice had been instrumental in helping USC erase a halftime deficit. Baker-Mazara stepped up decisively, scoring 12 points in a five-minute span to ignite a 10-0 run that gave USC the lead.
Despite Seton Hall tying the game late, Baker-Mazara's clutch free throws in the final seconds sealed the win for USC. The Trojans will now compete for the tournament championship, while Seton Hall will play for third place.
