LOS ANGELES — In an exciting matchup on Saturday afternoon, Southern California pulled off a significant upset against No. 7 Michigan State, winning 70-64 and ending the Spartans’ impressive 13-game winning streak. Desmond Claude led the Trojans with 19 points, while Wesley Yates III contributed 15. Chibuzo Agbo also made a noteworthy impact, adding 14 points to the team’s victory. This marks a crucial win for the Trojans, standing at 13-8 overall and 5-5 in the Big Ten, as it was their first victory over a top-10 opponent since defeating Arizona last March.
Michigan State, now holding a record of 18-3 and 9-1 in their conference, faced an uphill battle throughout the game, trailing consistently. With just 39.3 seconds left in the game and down by four points at 65-61, the Spartans found themselves in a tough spot when they were hit with a shot clock violation. Shortly after, USC’s Saint Thomas made an excellent cross-court pass to Yates, who executed a powerful dunk, effectively increasing the Trojans’ lead to six points.
The Spartans received solid contributions from Jeremy Fears Jr. with 12 points and Jaden Akins, who scored 11. Despite their loss, the 13-game winning streak represented their longest since the 2018-19 season.
Highlights from the game included a crucial moment when Akins sank a 3-pointer to bring Michigan State within three points at 55-52 with 8:37 left. However, USC quickly responded with a 10-4 run, allowing them to maintain control of the game. Additionally, a significant statistic from the matchup was USC’s halftime lead of 35-32, a remarkable feat considering it was the first time Michigan State trailed at halftime since their last loss to Memphis at the Maui Invitational on November 26. The Trojans now hold a solid record of 10-2 when leading at halftime.
Looking ahead, both teams will face road challenges on Tuesday. Michigan State will head to UCLA, while USC will travel to Northwestern for their respective games. This outcome leaves both teams eager to prove themselves in the next round of competition as they continue their seasons.
