The USC Trojans became the latest First Four team to reach the Round of 32, making them a perfect 7-of-7 since it was introduced. It was also the biggest upset of the tournament so far, with the Trojans as 7.5-point underdogs to the SMU Mustangs.
The Trojans came back from a 12-point deficit, and were down as many as nine points in the second half. A big shot and good defense in the final seconds secured their 66-65 victory.
After their comeback win, they were understandably elated having gone through so much during the season:
when the direct deposit hits pic.twitter.com/XgRAd4tJek
— Mark (@tole_cover) March 17, 2017
The Trojans were on the bubble most of the year after starting 14-0. They won some late Pac-12 games after battling some injuries during the season, and going on a four-game losing skid in February. Forward Bennie Boatwright came back in early February from a knee injury, which was key in the Trojans’ push heading into March, when he finally got back into the rhythm of things.
Freshman De’Anthony Melton has also been a key contributor. He’s not the most prominent scorer by any means, but has been good for the Trojans since taking over a starting role in late December. Chimezie Metu has been great in his sophomore season, averaging 14.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game.
A comeback victory and having overcome so much during the season makes for a great celebration like this one. The Trojans certainly earned it.