USC’s game against Minnesota on Saturday carried more emotional weight than a typical matchup for Trojans coach Eric Musselman. He spent his formative years in Minneapolis while his father, Bill Musselman, coached Minnesota from 1971 to 1975, winning a Big Ten title in the process.
Eric Musselman probably won’t be reminiscing about what he saw from the Trojans in his first game coaching against Minnesota. USC was unable to hold back a late Minnesota surge in a 69-66 loss at Galen Center that complicated USC’s already tenuous NCAA tournament aspirations.
In the bonus, a late foul on a driving Lu’Cye Patterson sent the Minnesota guard to the line for a one-and-one, with USC holding a 66-65 lead. Patterson hit both free throws to put the Golden Gophers ahead.
USC (14-11 overall, 6-8 Big Ten) had a chance to win the game with one of its final possessions, but a turnover by Desmond Claude — his sixth of the game — coupled with two more Patterson free throws sealed the win for Minnesota (13-12, 5-9).
For the first 36 minutes, USC led the game, and at times, were in solid control, leading by as much as 14. The Golden Gophers, however, started to chip away in the second half. A 13-3 run gave Minnesota a 53-52 lead with 7:16 left.
With the game tied 59-59 and four minutes left, Wesley Yates III hit a three-pointer with 3:59 left to give the Trojans a 62-59 lead, but USC couldn’t keep up its momentum. Frank Mitchell scored back-to-back baskets for Minnesota to make it a one-point game before Patterson’s free throws put Minnesota ahead for good.
Yates finished with 18 points, going three for four from three-point range and five for five from the line. He was one of three Trojans in double figures, alongside Chibuzo Agbo and Claude, who scored 18 and 12 points, respectively.
But, it was ultimately not enough for a Trojans team that was outscored 40-28 in the second half.
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