SAN DIEGO – San Diego State men’s basketball saw the Southern California Trojans score the first points of the game, a triple from Rodney Rice, and trailed for the rest of the contest in an 85-68 loss on Friday evening at Steve Fisher Court at Viejas Arena. It was each team’s second exhibition game of the season.
Three Aztecs finished in double figures led by Elzie Harrington’s 19 points. He also had four assists, two steals, two rebounds and a block. Bear Cherry added 16 with four boards, four assists and three blocks, while Latrell Davis finished with 11 points and a team-high five rebounds.
Both teams shot the ball well for the game. The Aztecs knocked down 44.4 percent of their shot attempts (22-of-50), but Southern California was even better hitting at a 50.0 percent clip (32-of-64).
San Diego State allowed 51 points in the first stanza with one of the biggest differences being Southern California’s 10 steals which contributed to 83.3 percent of SDSU’s 12 turnovers in the first half. In addition, the Trojans effectiveness from the 3-point line, making 7-of-14 while SDSU was 3-of-10 from long distance, was also a major factor in the opening 20 minutes.
Trailing by nine points, 32-23, at the 5:42 mark in the first half, SDSU saw the Trojans go on a 19-8 run to take a 51-32 lead into the locker room.
The Aztecs upped the tempo in the second half, trimming the deficit to nine points with 10:09 to play and it was an 11-point game, 72-61 at the 5:14 mark, but a 9-2 run by the Trojans put the game out of reach in the 17-point defeat.
For the second straight contest, SDSU committed 16-plus turnovers, against USC they finished with 20. The Aztecs won the battle on the boards, 36-to-34, but were beaten on the offensive glass 12-to-10.
USC finished three players in double digits in the scoring column, led by Alijah Arenas’s 22 points and 12 rebounds.
The Aztecs wrap up their exhibition schedule on Wednesday, October 28 at Viejas Arena at 7 p.m. PT against Long Beach State and opens the 2026-27 regular season on Tuesday, November 3 against Cal State Fullerton at 7 p.m. PT at Steve Fisher Court at Viejas Arena.