Troy University Athletics
Troy University
4-3,0-0Sun Belt
USC
4-0,0-0Big Ten
Troy Pushes USC to the Brink in Triple Overtime Defeat
11/21/2025 2:35:00 AM | Basketball (M)
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Troy men's basketball (4-3) suffered a heartbreaking defeat on Thursday night, as USC won on a three-pointer as time expired in triple overtime.
USC's (4-0) Rodney Rice tracked down a loose ball, passing it to Jordan Marsh who hit the off-balance winner, handing Troy its third loss of the season.
Cooper Campbell led the way for Troy, setting a career high in points (32) and assists (12). The stat line gave Campbell his first career double-double. Victor Valdes added 24 points for the Cardinal and White.
In a game in which three players fouled out for Troy, the Trojans put forth an incredible effort to get the game to a third extra period. Thomas Dowd tied the game with 22 seconds remaining in double overtime after Theo Seng leveled the score with five seconds left in the first overtime. Before that, Campbell delivered a clutch three with eight seconds remaining that sent the game into overtime. Three other players for Troy played the final minutes of the game with four fouls.
The beginning of the game - which lasted three hours and 11 minutes - was a defensive battle. The two teams worked to find their footing offensively throughout the opening 20 minutes, with the halftime score 29 points apiece.
USC controlled the second half, leading for 18:45 of play. Troy never led in the half, despite 19 lead changes in the game overall. USC held as much as an 11-point advantage at the 10:48 mark, but Troy had plenty of fight left.
A Thomas Dowd three cut the lead to just four with eight minutes left, and a pair of free throws from Victor Valdes trimmed the advantage to two on the next possession. After a back-and-forth exchange, Campbell hit the game-tying basket.
The first two overtime periods followed a similar pattern – USC jumped out to a lead of four, before Troy stormed back with game-tying baskets.
Unfortunately for Troy, the reverse occurred in triple overtime, as Troy led 101-96 almost three minutes in.
Jerrell Bellamy's first three-pointer of the season gave Troy a four-point lead with a minute remaining, but two defensive stops led to the game-winner from USC's Marsh.
Quotable – Head Coach Scott Cross
"I couldn't be prouder of the way they battled. We outrebounded [USC] 63-39, and that shows the heart, toughness, and grit this team played with. I'm super proud of every single one of them. We had so many guys foul out and other guys just kept stepping up. This is a really good basketball team and we're disappointed in the outcome, but I'm super proud and thankful to be their coach."
Notables
- Cooper Campbell is the first Troy player to score 30 points in a game since Tayton Conerway finished with 32 against Arkansas State on Jan. 11 of last season.
- Campbell is the first to have 30 points and 12 rebounds in a game since Jordan Varnado finished with 30 points and 13 rebounds against App State on Feb. 17, 2018.
- The 32 points and 12 rebounds were both career highs for Campbell.
- Thursday night's game was Troy's first triple overtime game since a 69-65 win over Jacksonville State on Nov. 16, 2021.
- With 19 points and 12 rebounds, Thomas Dowd recorded his third double-double of the season.
- Victor Valdes set a new career best with 24 points.
- Kerrington Kiel's three assists were a career high.
- Theo Seng tied a career high with eight rebounds.
- Troy is now 0-2 all-time against USC.
Up Next
Troy will now travel to Florida to take on the Florida stretch of the six-game road trip. The Trojans are participating in the Coconut Hoops event in Ft. Myers, with Troy playing in the first game of the Royal Palm Division against Toledo on Monday, Nov. 24 at 10 a.m. CT.
