USC Trojans v. New Mexico Lobos | 11/30/2024 | Acrisure Classic

New Mexico Defeats USC 83-73 for Third Place at Acrisure Classic 🏀🔥

Las Vegas, NV – Behind standout performances from Tru Washington and Donovan Dent, the New Mexico Lobos secured an impressive 83-73 victory over USC Trojans in the third-place game of the Acrisure Classic on Friday night. The Lobos (6-2) dominated with a strong offensive showing, maintaining a double-digit lead for much of the second half.

Key Performances:

Tru Washington: Led all scorers with 20 points, showing poise and efficiency on the offensive end.
Donovan Dent: Stuffed the stat sheet with 17 points, 11 assists, and 6 rebounds, marking another stellar all-around performance. Dent remains the only player in the nation with 10+ points and 5+ assists in every game this season.
Nelly Junior Joseph: Added 15 points, while Mustapha Amzil chipped in 10 points to round out the balanced scoring effort for the Lobos.
Game Highlights:
New Mexico used a decisive 10-0 run early in the second half to take control. After Donovan Dent and Tru Washington buried back-to-back 3-pointers, CJ Noland scored on a fast-break layup, and Atiki Ally Atiki capped the surge with a thunderous dunk, giving the Lobos a 57-43 lead with 13:14 left. From there, New Mexico maintained a double-digit cushion until the game’s closing seconds.

USC (5-3) struggled to recover despite solid contributions from Josh Cohen (14 points), Chibuzo Agbo (13 points), Desmond Claude (13 points), and Terrence Williams II (11 points).

First-Half Action:
The Trojans opened with an 8-4 lead, fueled by two 3-pointers from Agbo, but the Lobos quickly responded with an 8-0 run. A 3-pointer by Braden Appelhans at the 11:38 mark gave New Mexico a 15-12 lead, and the Lobos never looked back, holding the advantage for the remainder of the game.

Takeaways:

New Mexico’s Balanced Attack: With four players scoring in double figures and Dent orchestrating the offense with his 11 assists, the Lobos proved their depth and chemistry.
USC’s Missed Opportunities: Despite solid individual performances, the Trojans struggled to keep pace with New Mexico’s efficient offense and timely runs.
What’s Next?

New Mexico (6-2) will look to build on this win as they prepare for their next challenge.
USC (5-3) will aim to regroup and find consistency moving forward.
#GoLobos 🔴🏀 #USCTrojans ✌️🏀 #AcrisureClassic ✨ #CollegeBasketball