In a nail-biting clash at the Kohl Center, the USC Trojans staged a remarkable comeback to defeat the Wisconsin Badgers 73-71 and snap the home team's five-game winning streak. Led by a career-high 29 points from guard Chad Baker-Mazara, USC overcame a double-digit second-half deficit to stun the Badger faithful and hand Wisconsin its first home loss of the season.
Battling Back From the Brink
Things looked bleak for the Trojans when the Badgers raced out to a 12-point lead early in the second half, powered by a 17-2 run capped by a thunderous dunk from Nolan Winter. But USC refused to fold, as Baker-Mazara caught fire from beyond the arc, draining five triples on the afternoon. The Trojans clawed their way back, going on a 16-2 surge of their own to retake the lead with under five minutes to play.
"What this really means is that USC has the grit and determination to battle back from any deficit," said Los Angeles Times reporter Associated Press. "They showed they can win a tough road game against a ranked opponent, which will only boost their NCAA Tournament resume."
A Tale of Two Halves
The first half was a back-and-forth affair, with Wisconsin rallying from an early 10-point deficit to take a 41-39 lead into the break. But the Badgers' offense went cold in the second half, managing just 30 points on 34% shooting. In contrast, USC's Baker-Mazara caught fire, scoring 16 of his 29 points after halftime to lead the Trojans' comeback.
"The bigger picture here is that USC proved they can win a grind-it-out battle on the road against a tough Big Ten opponent," said NBC Sports analyst Chad Walker. "This will be a huge confidence boost as they look to make a push for the NCAA Tournament."