USC Men's Basketball Falls Short Against UCLA, 82-76

In a closely contested rivalry game, the USC Men's Basketball team fell to UCLA 82-76 at the Galen Center. Despite a strong performance that saw them cut a 12-point deficit to just one with under two minutes left, USC's chances dwindled when Saint Thomas missed two crucial free throws, allowing UCLA's Sebastian Mack to hit a three-pointer shortly after. Coach Eric Musselman highlighted the team's continuing struggles with free throw shooting, noting they missed seven in the second half, which proved costly. Four Trojans scored in double digits, led by one player who achieved a season-high 21 points, but it wasn't enough to secure the win. USC's record now stands at 12-8 overall and 4-5 in the Big Ten, while UCLA improves to 15-6 and 6-4 in conference play. The two teams will meet again on March 8 for the regular season finale.