USC Men's Basketball Loses Exhibition Match Against North Carolina

The game, played in a pro-UNC environment, was competitive with seven ties and 14 lead changes until the Tar Heels surged ahead thanks to a 12-0 run midway through the second half.

Senior guard Rodney Rice made a notable return, scoring 22 points on 7-for-15 shooting, along with three rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a block. Alijah Arenas, playing alongside Rice for the first time, added 17 points, also shooting 7-for-15. Darius Ratliff, making his first collegiate start, contributed significantly, particularly in the first half, with 13 points, four rebounds, two blocks, and two steals.

USC started strong with a 10-3 lead fueled by a rapid 12-0 scoring run, including two three-pointers from Rice and one from Ratliff. Ratliff made an early impact with a block and drew a shooting foul, accumulating 11 points and three rebounds by halftime.

Despite holding North Carolina scoreless for nearly five minutes, USC lost the lead at 23-22 with 8:33 left in the first half. However, Arenas' six consecutive points helped the Trojans stay competitive. Near the end of the half, USC briefly led by two possessions at 35-31, but UNC's Neo Avdalas tied the game at 37 before a jumper from Rice put USC ahead by two at halftime.

The teams exchanged leads multiple times after halftime, with USC going up 45-43 thanks to three-pointers from Rice and Adonis Ratliff. However, USC's offense stalled and UNC capitalized, posting a 12-0 run to go ahead 61-53 with just over nine minutes left. Although Arenas and Rice attempted to narrow the gap, North Carolina maintained a double-digit lead in the final minutes to secure the victory.

North Carolina outshot USC 44% to 36% and won the rebounding battle 47-33, despite committing 18 turnovers compared to USC's 14. The Trojans converted 24 points from the Tar Heels' turnovers.

USC's next exhibition game will be against UC San Diego on Saturday, October 17, with a scheduled tip-off at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN+.

NOTES: The starting lineup for USC featured Rodney Rice, Alijah Arenas, Jacob Cofie, Adonis Ratliff, and Darius Ratliff. Rice has scored in double figures in every game he has played for the Trojans. Jacob Cofie led the team in rebounding with seven while also scoring five points. All 11 available players for USC participated in the game, with seven scoring points. This matchup also marked a meeting between head coaches Eric Musselman and Michael Malone, both of whom have NBA coaching backgrounds and are sons of NBA coaches. USC is now 4-1 in exhibition games under Musselman.