The ailing USC Trojans limped into the second game of their three-game homestand nursing a five-game losing streak. They are off to their worst start under Andy Enfield and are in sole posession of last place in the Pac-12. They couldn’t turn things around on Thursday, falling to the Pac-12-leading Oregon Ducks in the Galen Center, 78-69.
A few key details defined this loss, as the Trojans failed to start February any differently from how their difficult month of January unfolded.
First of all, USC allowed 17 offensive rebounds to Oregon. The Trojans went to a zone to bother the Ducks’ scorers. The plan was not a bad one. After Oregon scored 29 points in the first eight minutes of the game and seemed on its way to a blowout, USC was able to find its footing for the next nine minutes, limiting the Ducks to just eight points in that span. The defensive approach showed signs of promise. USC, down 29-22 with 12 minutes left in the first half, tied the score at 37-all with just over three minutes to go because of its defensive adjustments.
However, while the zone bothered Oregon, the price paid over the full 40 minutes was that the Men of Troy allowed second chances to UO, which repeatedly emerged as a point of separation between the two teams. Oregon didn’t shoot well — just 37 percent — but the Ducks gained more possessions than USC did.
The Trojans, having tied Oregon late in the first half, weren’t able to hang on before halftime. Oregon used a 9-2 run to take a 46-39 lead to the locker room, helped by some free throws. This was the other big difference in the game.
Oregon hurt USC at the free throw line, outscoring the Trojans 18-6 at the line in a game the Ducks won by nine points. USC’s Kobe Johnson fell into early foul trouble and couldn’t get into a rhythm.
The Ducks used their second-chance advantage and their free throw advantage to control the second half. Up seven at the intermission, Oregon then started the second half with a quick 8-3 run in the first 2:20 after the break to build a 54-42 lead with 17:40 left. Oregon maintained a solid working margin for the rest of the game.
A USC team searching for a breakthrough, something to snap a losing streak and change the course of the season, had that one great nine-minute stretch in the first half, but couldn’t sustain anything beyond it.
USC’s next game is against Oregon State on Saturday. The Beavers lost to UCLA on Thursday in Westwood.
Visit our friends at Fighting Irish Wire, Buffaloes Wire, and Ducks Wire. Follow our newest sites, UW Huskies Wire and UCLA Wire.