Jordan Marsh’s buzzer-beating 3-point heave capped a wild 107-106 Southern California win over Troy in three overtimes on Thursday in Los Angeles.
Marsh’s contested prayer just before the horn was set up when Rodney Rice made a steal on the opposite end of the floor, then fired the outlet pass. Marsh dribbled to the top of the key and double-clutched on the high-arcing game-winner.
USC (4-0) closed the third overtime on a 10-3 run to rally from down six points with 1:43 remaining. Chad Baker-Mazara knocked down three of his career-high 34 points as USC rolled off five straight points to pull within a point, but Troy (4-3) answered as Jerrell Bellamy made his first 3-pointer of the season with 59 seconds remaining.
USC cut the lead in half the next time down the floor with Rice scoring two of his 26 points. Bellamy attacked the rim on the ensuing Troy possession, but was denied on one of five Baker-Mazara blocked shots.
Baker-Mazara missed a would-be, game-tying shot in the paint on the other end, leading to the closing sequence.
Troy leaned on Cooper Campbell and Victor Valdes for much of the second half and the overtimes. Campbell finished with a career-high 32 points that included 6-of-9 shooting from 3-point range, grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds, and approached a triple-double with eight assists.
Valdes finished with 24 points, four of which came on back-to-back possessions late in regulation as Troy chipped away at a deficit that reached as many as 11 points in the second half.
Valdes also dished the assist that set up Campbell for the 3-pointer that forced the first overtime. The shot sent Troy into its second overtime contest in as many outings, coming just two days after the Trojans beat San Diego State in double-overtime.
Thomas Dowd recorded a double-double for Troy on Thursday, going for 19 points and 12 rebounds in 51 minutes played.
Ezra Ausar scored 22 points for USC. Baker-Mazara grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.
