The Trojans fall to 3-6 on the season amid a five-game losing streak.
Click here for the recap and final stats.
Nightmare Week
USC has the toughest non-conference schedule in the country, and the Trojans felt the full weight of it this week. After two road losses to quality opponents, No. 14 Minnesota provided no respite for a team that needs a win. "The combined record of the people we've been playing is ridiculous," said head coach Kevin O'Neill, whose Trojans have played three ranked teams in the last four games. "We're not quite ready for that right now. We will be. And we'll get there. It's just going to take us a little bit of time."
Oraby Comes to Life
The Trojans never led in the game, but Omar Oraby (pictured) kept it close with his best half of the season. He scored 15 points on 7/9 shooting all in the second half. "We've got to go to him," said O'Neill about the plan going forward. Oraby had not scored in double figures since the season opener. "I've been struggling the last couple of games, so I just try to not think about what's happened and just go in and play as hard as I can and good things happen when you do that," said the 7'2" center. Oraby is a 64% free throw shooter on the season, but he failed to fully capitalize on his paint dominance late in the game by making only one of five from the stripe.
No Shot
Oraby was not the only free throw shooter to struggle. The Trojans made just 10 of 18 as a team. The stats were even worse from three-point land where USC missed 10 of 11. J.T. Terrell was brought in to be a go-to perimeter scorer, but he is in a major slump culminating in an 0-for-7 performance tonight. "J.T.'s got to do more," said O'Neill. "That's all there is to it. If he doesn't do more on both ends than we've got to play someone else." The head coach made clear tonight that lineup changes are coming based on which players are giving the most effort.
Click here for the recap and final stats.
Nightmare Week
USC has the toughest non-conference schedule in the country, and the Trojans felt the full weight of it this week. After two road losses to quality opponents, No. 14 Minnesota provided no respite for a team that needs a win. "The combined record of the people we've been playing is ridiculous," said head coach Kevin O'Neill, whose Trojans have played three ranked teams in the last four games. "We're not quite ready for that right now. We will be. And we'll get there. It's just going to take us a little bit of time." Oraby Comes to Life
The Trojans never led in the game, but Omar Oraby (pictured) kept it close with his best half of the season. He scored 15 points on 7/9 shooting all in the second half. "We've got to go to him," said O'Neill about the plan going forward. Oraby had not scored in double figures since the season opener. "I've been struggling the last couple of games, so I just try to not think about what's happened and just go in and play as hard as I can and good things happen when you do that," said the 7'2" center. Oraby is a 64% free throw shooter on the season, but he failed to fully capitalize on his paint dominance late in the game by making only one of five from the stripe.
No Shot
Oraby was not the only free throw shooter to struggle. The Trojans made just 10 of 18 as a team. The stats were even worse from three-point land where USC missed 10 of 11. J.T. Terrell was brought in to be a go-to perimeter scorer, but he is in a major slump culminating in an 0-for-7 performance tonight. "J.T.'s got to do more," said O'Neill. "That's all there is to it. If he doesn't do more on both ends than we've got to play someone else." The head coach made clear tonight that lineup changes are coming based on which players are giving the most effort.
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