USC looks to build momentum in encounter vs. Iowa

Field Level Media|published: Tue 14th January, 08:37 2025

NCAA Basketball: Southern California at Illinois

Jan 11, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; USC Trojans guard Desmond Claude (1) drives past Illinois Fighting Illini forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) and to the basket during the second half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

Southern California returns home to Los Angeles on Tuesday to host Big Ten foe Iowa with designs on parlaying its best performance of the season into lasting momentum.

The Trojans (10-6, 2-3) pulled out of a two-game slump on Saturday, posting an 82-72 win over then-No. 13 Illinois behind a season-high 31 points from Desmond Claude.

Claude averages a team-best 15.9 points per game.

"We are moving in the right direction," USC coach Eric Musselman said. "Sometimes you lose games, and you get frustrated, but this team really plays hard. We play as hard as we can, and that's all you can ask as a team to do is to play with great effort, energy and enthusiasm."

The Trojans' return home marks one of the first major sporting events staged in Los Angeles since the wildfires that have ravaged the area. Numerous contests were delayed or moved, including Monday's NFL playoff game between the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams. That game was contested in Glendale, Ariz.

For Iowa (12-4, 3-2), Tuesday's visit is its first time playing the Trojans in Los Angeles -- or at all -- since December 1983. The Hawkeyes take on their new conference counterparts trying to extend their winning streak to three games after an 85-60 blowout of Indiana on Saturday.

The Iowa frontcourt duo of Payton Sandfort and Owen Freeman shot a combined 15-of-25 from the floor. Sandfort scored 23 points, pushing his team-leading season average to 16.9 points per game, while Freeman finished right around his 16.6-point per game average with 16 points.

Freeman also grabbed 12 rebounds to record his third double-double of the season. The effort on the glass helped Iowa to a 37-31 rebounding advantage, a reversal for an area that has been a weakness for the Hawkeyes this season.

Hawkeyes coach Fran McCaffery said continuing to control the glass will be vital for the team as it employs more zone defense.

"The key to it all was not so much the activity or the defense, it was rebounding," he said on Saturday.

Iowa is seeking its first true road win of the season.

--Field Level Media