This had the chance to be the punctuation on an underwhelming -- to put it kindly -- non-conference slate so far for the USC basketball team.
But Nick Rakocevic delivered the late dramatics Friday night to preserve a much-needed win for the Trojans on the road at TCU.
Kevin Samuel had made a game-tying layup for the host Horned Frogs while drawing a foul with 8 seconds left, but he missed the ensuing free throw and USC point guard Ethan Anderson drove into the paint on the other end. His floater missed, but Rakocevic was trailing and tipped it in with .02 seconds remaining for the go-ahead score in a 80-78 win in Forth Worth, Texas.
How much did USC (8-2) need this?
Well, the Trojans had lost their last two notable non-conference games, at home to Temple and in a blowout in Orlando against Marquette (while their best win to date had been against Nevada). And dropping this one Friday night would have been deflating in a much different way.
USC led by as many as 18 points early in the second half and was up 78-69 with under 1 minute, 20 seconds to play. Then the Trojans fell apart at the foul line and the Horned Frogs (6-2) capitalized.
Edric Dennis scored and hit an ensuing free throw for TCU, Elijah Weaver turned the ball over on the dribble with under a minute to go and Dennis threw down a dunk on the other end to make it 78-74 with 47 seconds left.
TCU fouled USC freshman standout Onyeka Okongwu, who missed the front end of a one-and-one at the line. Okongwu then atoned with a block, but Jonah Mathews missed the front end of a one-and-one this time with 31.6 on the clock.
Dennis drew a foul on the other end and made both of his free throws to make it 78-76 with 18.7 to go, and TCU again sent Okongwu to the line. Coach Andy Enfield had praised the freshman's free throw shooting earlier in the season, but he missed both of his attempts with 17.1 to go.
On the other end, RJ Nembhard fed Samuel for the game-tying layup as he drew the foul and went to the line for the chance to put TCU ahead.
Samuel led TCU with 17 points and 11 rebounds, but he missed the biggest shot of his night, and as Rakocevic deftly tapped the ball in for USC in the final second, the Trojans could finally exhale.
On the ledger, it will go down as a road win over a decent team from a major conference.
But clearly it showed these Trojans are still a far from a refined unit.
USC actually had an OK night from the perimeter, hitting 6 of 13 3-pointers, but the Trojans were ice cold at the line while finishing 14 of 24 (58.3 percent) on free throws. They came into the night 249 nationally in free throw shooting at 67.3 percent.
Senior Jonah Mathews led the team in scoring with a season-high 20 points, including shooting 4 of 7 from 3-point range. Okongwu had 13 points, 6 rebounds, 7 blocks, 3 assists and 2 steals. Rakocevic finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Anderson added 10 points and 8 assists (with 3 turnovers), Isaiah Mobley scored 9 points and Elijah Weaver had 8.
It was a balanced effort but not always a pretty one down the stretch. In that regard, it was befitting of the first part of this season for the Trojans.
They showed flashes of their potential, stretches of impressive play such as when they separated late in the first half and looked to have all the momentum, but they showed their vulnerabilities just as much.
It's far too early to summize what this team will or can become this season, but in terms of season resume if USC is to push for a NCAA Tournament at-large selection, this is one the Trojans couldn't afford to drop.
Despite the tense moments and whatever frustration will linger from the way the end of the game unfolded, at least it goes down as a win in the end.
