USC made their first-ever, cross-country trip to Happy Valley to take on the Penn State men’s basketball team.
Both teams came out a bit cold until USC’s, Jacob Cofie, and Penn State’s, Josh Reed, got both teams going. At the first media timeout (15:30) it was both teams locked at 6-6.
Alijah Arenas, son of former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas, was leading the Trojans with 4 points and Reed was leading Penn State with four points as well.
Both teams were matching each other’s intensity and with (12:46) left in the first half it was USC over PSU, 11-10.
The Trojans’, Jordan Marsh, and PSU’s, Ivan Juric, then traded threes on their next possession to make the score USC 14 Penn State 13 (11:46).
Juric was making his presence known after missing the last two games due to the flu.
The other 7-foot freshman for the Blue & White, Justin Houser, and sophomore, Dominick Stewart, drilled back-to-back threes from downtown to give the Nittany Lions the lead 19-16 (10:03).
Both teams seemed to be heating up and finding their rhythm and at the media timeout (7:38) the score was 25-25.
Arenas was leading the Trojans with seven points and Freddie Dilione and Reed for the Nittany Lions had 6 points apiece.
Dilione then gave Penn State the lead, 28-27, after a made shot from downtown, but then USC’s Marsh made a three and Arenas converted on a Penn State turnover to stretch USC’s lead to four, 32-28 (5:38).
Penn State was battling back and after four straight points from Dilione the score was tied once again, 34-34 (2:34).
The Nittany Lions went on offensive burst and were locking down the Trojans, and with (1:00) to play in the first half it was PSU over USC, 40-34.
Halftime Score: PSU 40 USC 36.
Dilione was leading Penn State with 13 points and Reed had 10 points.
Arenas and Ezra Ausar each had nine points for the Trojans.
To start the second half, Juric and Stewart combined for a quick five points to make the score 45-36 (19:00).
Penn State was on fire and with (17:23) left in the game it was the Nittany Lions up by 12, 50-38. Dilione and Stewart each had 4 points to start the second half.
At the first media timeout of the second half (15:33) it was the Nittany Lions 53 Trojans 42.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.USC was not going away and kept chipping away at Penn State’s lead and taking advantage of PSU’s missed free throws.
The Trojans went on a 9-0 run.
With (12:22) left to play it was Penn State over USC 55-51.
After USC’s, Kam Woods, scored an and-1, the Trojans then retook the lead, 56-55, with (10:56) left to play.
Both teams were in the bonus and it felt that the game was going to be won at the free throw line.
With (8:39) left in the game, USC was hanging onto their lead 60-56.
Penn State switched to their 2-3 zone and with (6:57) left in the game it was USC 60 PSU 58.
USC was hitting their free throws.
The Nittany Lions were battling back once Juric got back into the game after his injury.
With (4:23) left to play, PSU retook the lead 65-64 but then USC’s, Arenas, hit a shot from downtown to give the Trojans the lead back, 67-65 (3:30).
The Trojans’ Arenas drilled another shot from downtown to stretch USC’s lead by four points, 72-68, with (1:18) in the game.
Penn State’s, Reed, then made a shot from downtown to trim the deficit to only one, 72-71 (40.4).
USC was making their free throws and with (17.7) left in the game, it was USC over PSU 75-73.
The Nittany Lions’, Dilione, then drove full-court with a sweeping move to the hoop to tie the game 75-75 with (7.3) to play.
USC had the ball for the last shot and Arenas made the last second shot to give the Trojans the victory.
FINAL: USC 77 PSU 75
