USC Basketball: Trojans Blow Out Alabama State, Return To Winning Record
Coming off of three straight losses and having dropped four of their last five games overall, your 2023-24 USC Trojans were in need of a win.
Luckily, their trip to Montgomery, Alabama accomplished just that, as they escaped the Deep South with a 79-59 victory over the Alabama State Hornets.
The Trojans didn't shoot particularly well from the field overall (40%), but they hit 37% of their 3-point shots, won the rebounding battle 52-39, and outscored the Hornets 44-19 off the bench.
Their Trojans' defense was also impressive, holding Alabama State to 33% from the field, with the Hornets hitting just 29.6% of their 3-point shots. Starting out 3 of 24 from the field, Alabama State trailed by double digits as early as 7 minutes into the game, digging themselves a hole too great to climb out of.
Ellis' status remains unknown for the time being, but it's unlikely the injury is too serious given his ability to walk off on his own power.
The Trojans will get some much-needed time off ahead of their opening of conference play on December 28th, where they take on the Oregon Ducks in Eugene, followed by a matchup with the Oregon State Beavers, also on the road, 2 days later.
A tough stretch of USC basketball is in full swing, as from this point forward, we're officially in conference play. Let's see if the Trojans can get it going at the most critical time.