Chad Baker-Mazara, USC edge Minnesota in OT to finish 3-game trip – Press Enterprise

Chad Baker-Mazara had 29 points and eight assists and made two free throws with 10 seconds left in overtime to rally USC to a 70-69 victory over Minnesota on Friday night, the long bright spot during an eight-day stay in the Midwest that included a pair of lopsided losses to No. 2 Michigan and No. 12 Michigan State.

“This was a game we had to have,” USC coach Eric Musselman said. “If we lost this game, we would’ve gone 0-3, and things aren’t looking good. Now, on our NCAA Tournament resume, we got a big win tonight. We lost at Michigan and Michigan State, but a lot of teams are going to have a hard time (against those teams). But now we’ve got our legs underneath us, and hopefully we have some good news with Alijah Arenas coming back.”

Baker-Mazara made 9 of 20 shots from the field with four 3-pointers and all seven of his free throws for the Trojans (13-3 overall, 2-3 Big Ten).

“He was great. He was 4 for 10 from three, hit two big free throws and was 7-for-7 from the free-throw line,” Musselman said. “He finished with 29 points, but his eight assists were more important for us.”

Ezra Ausar pitched in with 14 points and nine rebounds.

Cade Tyson had 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists to pace the Golden Gophers (10-6, 3-2), who had won five straight. Bobby Durkin had 13 points, Langston Reynolds scored 12 and Jaylen Crocker-Johnson 10.

Jacob Cofie hit a 3-pointer to put the Trojans ahead 53-40 with 9:48 left in regulation, and they stayed in front until Tyson made two foul shots with 45 seconds left to put Minnesota ahead, 63-62. Gabe Dynes, who came into the game 5 for 13 at the foul line, made the second of two free throws with 33 seconds left, forcing overtime after Tyson and Ausar missed jumpers.

There were seven lead changes and three ties in the first 7:24 after Grayson Grove’s first 3-pointer of the season gave Minnesota a 22-21 lead.

Both teams went scoreless from there until Ausar’s layup with 7:06 left put the Trojans in front. Isaac Asuma answered with a 3-pointer to end Minnesota’s scoring drought at 5:27 and Tyson scored for a 27-23 advantage and the game’s first two-possession lead.

Baker-Mazara hit three free throws, Ausar stole the ball and dunked, and Dynes added back-to-back dunks as USC followed with a 9-0 run that led to a 35-30 advantage at halftime.

UP NEXT

USC hosts Maryland on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.