Drew Peterson has 17 points Reese Dixon-Waters posted a career-high 16, but it was not enough as 7-sea USC men played basketball in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at 10-seed Miami (Fla.), 68-66, in Greenville, SC, on Friday.
Isaiah Mobley shot 11 points – all in the second half – with eight assists. Chevez Goodwin adding 10 points and six rebounds.
The Trojans finished the 2021-22 campaign with a 26-8 (14-6 Pac-12) record.
USC’s 26 wins this season are tied for the most part in school history (the 2016-17 team finished 26-10). The USC also set the team record for most wins in a regular season (25).
The USC has won a school record of 73 games in the last three seasons (22 in 2020, 25 in 2021 and 26 in 2022). The previous school record for winning in three consecutive seasons was 71 (2016-18). The three consecutive seasons of 20+ wins also equal the school record for most consecutive 20-win seasons from 2016-18.
The Trojans kept Miami at 42.9% shooting and allowed only a 3-point lead on 14 attempts, but poor first-half shots and 18 overall sales prevented the USC from winning.
The USC fell behind in the first half by engaging 12 turnovers and going on a 5:30 scoring drought. The Trojans shot just 8-of-27 at the opening and conceded an 18-6 run in the final minutes of the half to give Miami an 11-point lead at the break.
Despite extending 13 points late in the first half, the Trojans grabbed off the break and battled with the Hurricanes (24-10, 14-5 ACC) for the entire second half. Dixon-Waters scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half, leading 12-0, which the Trojans currently have the lead at 15:32.
Trojans on a 10-0 run! 🔥
📺: @truTV pic.twitter.com/xtvfwRUmSL
– USC Men’s Basketball (@USC_Hoops) March 18, 2022
Both teams battled for the lead, but Miami trailed by six unanswered points, extending the hurricane lead to seven points by 35 seconds.
Peterson warmed up at the last minute by hitting a 3-pointer, forcing an offside outside and making another try to reduce the lead to one point.
They do not call it March Madness for nothing.
(via @MarchMadnessMBB) pic.twitter.com/FeEfUV0Shp
– USC Men’s Basketball (@USC_Hoops) March 18, 2022
The Trojans fouled Sam Waardenburg, who split his free-kick attempt. Peterson made another layout that kept the game at 66 with 14 seconds left.
On Miami’s last property, Ethan Anderson Fouled Charlie Moore, who sank both of his free kicks that proved the game-winners. Peterson’s half court before the buzzer goes out knocked the Trojans out of the NCAA tournament.
Isaiah Wong finished with 22 points, but finished with 2:07 left.
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