One path closed to the ring, then one other, then one other, every slammed shut with a sudden streak of cardinal and gold, earlier than Illinois State ahead Chase Walker discovered himself enveloped by 4 towering Trojans, every with their arms excessive within the air. He might barely budge earlier than the shot clock sounded.
When Eric Musselman had envisioned a probably stifling protection in his second season as USC’s coach, this was exactly what he had in thoughts: Staggering measurement, suffocating size and ferocious effort to match.
However Friday night time’s 87-67 win over Illinois State would provide solely a short lived glimpse of the Trojans’ defensive ceiling, earlier than reminding how a lot USC nonetheless has to determine from right here.
Level guard doesn’t look like a type of issues. Rodney Rice continued his stellar begin to the season with the most effective performances of his collegiate profession. He tallied a triple-double with 21 factors, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, the final of which got here within the waning seconds of the sport.
Chad Baker-Mazara added 18 factors, whereas 7-foot-5 heart Gabe Dynes added 14 factors, 5 rebounds and three blocks in his finest exhibiting but.
What began as defensive dominance, nevertheless, slid briefly into indifference for the Trojans after halftime, for lengthy sufficient that Illinois State fired its approach again into the sport. A 21-point lead late within the first half for USC light to simply six factors, six minutes into the second.
The Trojans got here out chilly after halftime apart from ahead Ezra Ausar, who scored the workforce’s first eight factors of the half, retaining them afloat amid a Redbird barrage. Ausar completed with 13 factors.
However finally, halfway via the second, USC’s protection clamped down, cruising to its third straight victory to begin the season.
