USC Hoops Escapes Cal Baptist in Overtime in Season Opener

USC was down three with 47 seconds left in the game, when Tahj Eaddy hit a triple to send the game into overtime. From then on it was all Trojans in OT. Evan Mobley finished with 21 points and 9 rebounds in his debut to lead USC to a 95-87 win over Cal Baptist in the team’s season opener.

The Lancers scored the first points of overtime, but then the Trojans went on a 10-0 run to go up eight late in OT. They played suffocating defense, and the offense flowed nicely, with Evan Mobley scoring six points while not missing a shot in extra time. Even without fans in attendance at the Galen Center, the USC team fed off each other's energy to get the victory.

The game was tied at the end of the first half, as it was an evenly matched game throughout. But the Trojans and Lancers scored in different ways. USC got to the line and scored inside the arc, while Cal Baptist relied on threes, shooting them 41 times and hitting 20 triples. When it came down to crunch time, Andy Enfield’s team used its size and defense to take over and avoid the upset on opening night.

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The Lancers had a five-point lead with less than two minutes remaining when Ty Rowell hit a three to go up 79-74. The Trojans defense put the clamps on when they needed stops to tie the game at 79 at the end of regulation. Rowell had a game-high 32 points for Cal Baptist, including nine threes, but it wasn’t enough to fend off the Mobley brothers and USC.

Evan Mobley added three blocks to his stat sheet, including an efficient night from the floor going 10-for-15 on the night. The freshman’s defense was great, as he affected shots inside the paint using his long wingspan and 7-foot-frame. His older brother Isaiah Mobley added a double-double scoring 14 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in the win.

USC dominated the boards all night, grabbing 46 rebounds which was 19 more than Cal Baptist. The offense also shot a high-percentage from the field at a 56% rate, but what hurt the Trojans was their free-throw shooting. USC shot 53% from the line, as they missed 14 free throws, going 16-for-30. However, the Trojans scored 52 points in the paint, as they dominated inside all night.

USC led 64-56 with 10 minutes to go, but quickly squandered the lead when the Lancers were raining threes. But Cal Baptist size got exposed as USC excelled in the offensive rebounds and second chance points categories, netting 18 points on those opportunities. Eaddy finished second on the team with 18 points. The Trojans ended up having six players score in double figures, as they had a balanced attack all game.

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The number-one recruit from the 2020 class played exceptionally well for his debut, but could've asserted himself more on offense, especially in the second half. Mobley lead the team in minutes played with 39, but showed great effort on both sides of the ball. Andy Enfield should be happy with the resilience showed by his team, and at end of the night, a win is a win. College Basketball is back baby.

USC's next game is against the Montana Grizzlies on Sunday at the Galen Center in Los Angeles at 6:00 PM PST on PAC-12 Networks.

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Promo Image Credit: John McGillen/USC Athletics