Second-half surge pushes visiting USC past USD at Jenny Craig Pavilion

Ezra Ausar scored 14 points during a 20-4 second-half USC run Tuesday night to lead the visiting Trojans to a 94-81 victory over the University of San Diego at the Jenny Craig Pavilion.

Forwards Chad Baker-Mazara and Ausar combined for 60 points and 15 rebounds to lead the 9-1 Trojans.

Baker-Mazara, who was the Mountain West Conference Sixth Man of the Year for San Diego State during the 2021-2022 season, scored 31 points – going 8-for-11 of from the floor, including 5-of-6 from 3-point range and 10-for-11 from the foul line.

The 6-foot-9 Ausar had a career-high 29 points, going 10-for-12 from close range and 9-for-14 from the foul line. Baker-Mazara had a game-high eight rebounds to seven for Ausar.

“We turned the ball over way too much,” said USC coach Eric Musselman, a USD grad making his first return to the Jenny Craig Center. “Offense was just so sloppy with the turnovers. Our shooting percentage was great. We didn’t get enough shots on goal. Credit San Diego. I thought they out-reacted us.

“Then in the second half, I thought we came out and played the way we’re supposed to, other than turning the basketball over. The last three minutes of the game, I was disappointed in how we closed the game.”

USC out-scored the 3-6 Toreros 56-43 in the second half after the teams were tied 38-38 at halftime. The loss was the fifth straight for USD.

Guard Dominique Ford scored seven straight points for USD early in the second half on a three and a pair of closer shots to give the Toreros a 48-46 lead. USC then scored 13 straight points to take command of the game.

Ford led USD with 22 points. Ty-Laur Johnson had 13 and Juanse Gorosito had 10.

USD had 18 more shots than USC in the first half as the Trojans committed 13 turnovers that led to 14 Toreros points. USD, which trailed early by scores of 14-0, 28-4 and 42-14 last Friday while losing a fourth straight game at San Jose State, took a 22-17 lead with 8 ¾ minutes to play on a three-pointer by Gorosito.

USC finished with a season-high 21 turnovers, but shot 61.7% from the floor (29-for-47) to 40% for USD (29-for-66). USC was 9-for-16 from three-point range behind Baker-Mazara and Jaden Brownell (4-for-5 for 16 points).

“You’re not pleased with the moral victories, but you do have to look at the big picture as a team begins to morph and develop in a different manner because our personnel has been a bit of musical chairs,” USD coach Steve Lavin said. “You’ve got the 14 new players. That in and of itself is quite a bit. But then the number of injuries in addition to the roster turnover has slowed the process.”