Overview
- Maryland transfer Rodney Rice finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, sealing the triple-double in the closing seconds.
- USC improved to 3-0 with the Hall of Fame Series opener at the Intuit Dome, pulling away after Illinois State trimmed a 21-point deficit to six early in the second half.
- Chad Baker-Mazara scored 18 points, 7-foot-5 Gabe Dynes added 14 with three blocks, and Ezra Ausar provided 13 as four Trojans reached double figures.
- The Trojans used a 31-8 first-half surge to build a 36-15 lead, then reasserted control with a 13-2 run keyed by Baker-Mazara after the break.
- Illinois State dropped to 1-2, getting 16 points from Ty’Reek Coleman and 15 from Johnny Kinziger in the neutral-site matchup.