LOS ANGELES — Two weeks back from its lengthy layoff, two losses after its undefeated start was spoiled by Stanford, USC had seemed to finally find its footing. The defense that ranked among the nation’s best before its COVID-19 pause was back on track. The last three teams to face USC had limped to the finish line, stunted by its suffocating defense and buried by a Trojans barrage from the perimeter.
But on Thursday, in a return meeting with the Cardinal, that effort took No. 15 USC only so far, bringing Isaiah Mobley to the stripe with a chance to tie with two free throws. He hit the first, only to have to wait and think about the second during a Stanford timeout. When he finally stepped to the stripe, his shot clanked off the back of the rim, and for the second time in 16 days, Stanford dealt USC a defeat, 64-61.
The loss was a crippling blow amid a bounce-back stretch. After its defense held its last three opponents to 35% or less from the field, Stanford matched its shooting output from the two teams’ first meeting, when the Cardinal took advantage of a USC team out of sorts after a 19-day gap between games.
