COLLEGE PARK, Md. — The USC men’s basketball team spent each half trying to dig out of holes and couldn’t complete a comeback in an 88-71 loss to No. 20 Maryland on Thursday night.
Rodney Rice scored 22 points, Ja’Kobi Gillespie added 20 and the host Terrapins (21-6 overall, 11-5 Big Ten) won for the eighth time in nine games while sending the Trojans (14-12, 6-9) to their fourth loss in five games.
Derik Queen had 13 points and 17 rebounds for the Terps, who never trailed, opening each half with a flourish and keeping USC at bay.
Wesley Yates III scored 21 to lead USC, which lacked Maryland’s balance on offense. Kevin Patton Jr. had 11 points off the bench, Saint Thomas contributed 10 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals, and Clark Slajchert had nine points off the bench.
Maryland scored the game’s first 11 points and led 18-5 after a dunk by Jordan Geronimo. USC coach Eric Musselman had tried to slow Maryland’s quick start, calling a timeout after two quick 3-pointers, but the Terps still pushed the lead into double digits and the Trojans were playing catch-up the rest of the way.
It was 37-27 at halftime, and then the Terps began the second half with a 15-5 run to double their advantage to 20.
Slajchert made three 3-point shots in the second half as USC cut the deficit to six points but got no closer and Maryland improved to 16-1 at home this season with its 13th consecutive home win.
USC was outrebounded 41-26 and Maryland had a significant advantage at the free-throw line, going 18 for 21 compared to 6 for 8 for the Trojans.
The starting five scored 85 of Maryland’s 88 points.
It’s likely too late for the Terps to win a share of the Big Ten title, but a double bye to the quarterfinals of the conference tournament is in play. They would need to finish in the top four, and this victory put them in a tie for fourth.
The teams were meeting for the first time since 1990, when each was in a different conference.
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USC plays at Rutgers on Sunday at 3 p.m. PT.
More to come on this story.