Desmond Claude scored a game-high 19 points to lead USC to a 70-64 upset win over No. 7 Michigan State in Los Angeles on Saturday.
The Spartans (18-3, 9-1 Big Ten) suffered their first Big Ten loss of the season, snapping a 13-game winning streak.
Wesley Yates scored 15 points and Chibuzo Agbo added 14 for USC (13-8, 5-5).
Jeremy Fears scored 12 points and Jaden Akins had 11 in defeat for Michigan State, which saw 10 different players score.
Neither team shot the ball well. Both sides knocked down 24-of-57 shots from the floor (42.1 percent). The Spartans were 5-of-15 (33.3 percent) from 3-point range and 11-of-19 (57 percent) from the free-throw line. On the other side, the Trojans made 31.8 percent (7-of-22 shots) from beyond the arc.
USC never trailed in the game.
With Akins’ 3-pointer to complete a 7-0 run, Michigan State cut USC’s lead to 55-52 with 8:37 remaining, but USC responded with a 10-4 spurt to grab a 65-56 lead with 3:51 left.
The Spartans cut USC’s lead to 66-61 with 1:36 remaining following a free throw by Fears and got the ball back with a chance to draw closer, but a shot-clock violation gave USC the ball back with 39.3 seconds remaining.
USC then threw a pass the full length of the court to Yates, whose dunk with 37.6 seconds left gabe the Trojans a 68-61 lead.
Leading 42-39 early in the second half, USC began a 13-6 surge to take a 55-45 lead with 13:24 left on a 3-pointer by Yates.
USC stormed out of the gates quickly, taking a 22-7 lead just 7:05 into the game. Michigan State slowly chipped away at its early deficit, scoring nine straight to make it 22-16 and then 24-21 with 5:56 to go until halftime.
USC ultimately took a 35-32 lead into the locker room at the half.
–Field Level Media
