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USC Trojans' Second Half Rally Falls Short Against Iowa Hawkeyes

The USC Trojans faced off against the Iowa Hawkeyes in a closely contested game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Trojans, now holding a 0-1 record, were narrowly defeated with a final score of 73-72. Despite their efforts, the Hawks managed to secure the win and improve their record to 1-0.


Jan 28, 2026; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Southern California Trojans guard Kam Woods (13) and Iowa Hawkeyes guard Isaia Howard (23) battle for the ball during the second half at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

First Half


The first half saw both teams battling for dominance on the court. The Trojans managed to keep pace with Iowa, ending the half trailing by just one point at 28-27. Key contributions came from Ezra Ausar and Gabe Dynes, who helped maintain defensive pressure with crucial rebounds and blocks.


Second Half


In the second half, USC's offensive strategy began to take shape as they scored an impressive 44 points. Rodney Rice emerged as a standout player for SC, showcasing his scoring ability and contributing significantly to closing the gap against Iowa's lead. However, despite their best efforts in this period of play, turnovers proved costly for SC.


Jan 28, 2026; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Southern California Trojans guard Kam Woods (13) goes to the basket as Iowa Hawkeyes forward Cooper Koch (8) defends during the first half at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Final Moments


As time wound down in this intense matchup between these two teams known for their competitive spirit on-court performances throughout history together; it was clear that every possession mattered more than ever before! With only seconds remaining until buzzer sounded signaling endgame results being finalized officially recorded into books forevermore - unfortunately leaving fans disappointed yet hopeful about future prospects ahead given how well they played overall despite loss ultimately suffered here today...


The USC Trojans vs Iowa Hawkeyes final score reflected a hard-fought battle that highlighted both teams' strengths and weaknesses. While SC showed resilience in mounting a comeback during critical moments late into proceedings - ultimately falling short due largely part due missed opportunities earlier stages which could have potentially shifted momentum favorably towards them instead if capitalized upon effectively enough beforehand perhaps?


Jan 28, 2026; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes guard Bennett Stirtz (14) controls the ball against the Southern California Trojans during the first half at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Looking ahead: Fans can catch next game when home team takes center stage once again hosting Rutgers Scarlet Knights Galen Center Los Angeles scheduled January 31st at 7:00 PM EDT broadcast live via Peacock network online streaming service available worldwide!


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