Washington vs USC: Huskies erase 18-point hole to stun No. 24 Trojans, 84–76

Washington vs USC delivered a December shocker in Los Angeles on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. The Huskies trailed by 18 at halftime, then bulldozed the second half 54–28 to hand USC basketball its first loss of the season, 84–76, in the Trojans’ Big Ten home opener.

How Washington flipped the game after halftime

USC blistered the first 20 minutes with clean half-court execution and live-ball runouts to build a 48–30 cushion. Coming out of the break, Washington tightened transition defense, loaded two to the ball on key wings, and attacked the paint relentlessly. The Huskies’ guards stopped settling, forcing rotations that opened kick-outs and second-chance lanes. By the under-8 timeout, the gap had vanished; the final minutes belonged to Washington’s physicality on the glass and composure at the stripe.

Key swing elements:

• Shot diet reversal: Washington’s rim attempts and free throws spiked after halftime, while USC drifted into late-clock jumpers.

• Defensive glass: The Huskies turned long rebounds into immediate pressure, neutralizing USC’s early edge in pace.

• Turnover timing: A handful of Trojans giveaways arrived in high-leverage spots, fueling a 10–0 Huskies burst that flipped momentum.

Huskies standouts: Steinbach’s star turn, guards control tempo

• Hannes Steinbach: 24 points, 16 rebounds — a career-tying night on the boards. He punished switches, sealed smaller defenders, and authored multiple put-backs that broke USC’s rhythm.

• Backcourt balance: Zoom Diallo and Wesley Yates III piled on with timely shot-making; Desmond Claude slashed gaps and found Steinbach on short-roll pockets.

• Frontline activity: Franck Kepnang provided interior deterrence and key late contests that discouraged USC drives.

Washington’s second-half identity was simple and ruthless: win the paint, earn whistles, and trust Steinbach to finish plays or draw extra help that freed shooters.

USC basketball: hot start, cold close

USC entered 8–0 and ranked No. 24, and the first half looked every bit the part: sharp sets, patient reads, and confident spacing. After halftime, the Trojans struggled to manufacture clean looks, particularly when Washington shaded extra bodies toward primary creators.

Trojans takeaways:

• Early execution was elite: the ball hummed, and off-ball movement produced a flurry of catch-and-shoot threes before the break.

• Physicality gap late: Washington’s switching and rebounding edge turned second-chance math against USC.

• Learning tape: End-of-game organization—who initiates, where the screen is set, and how to counter top-locks—will headline the next practice.

Individual bright spots included perimeter bursts from the wings and stretches where the Trojans’ length bottled drives, but the inability to stem Washington’s 50–50-ball dominance proved decisive.

Box score snapshot — Washington vs USC

Final: Washington 84, USC 76
Halves: USC 48–30 (1H), Washington 54–28 (2H)

Washington leaders

• Hannes Steinbach: 24 PTS, 16 REB

• Backcourt trio (Diallo, Yates III, Claude): double-figure combined second-half surge; multiple paint touches leading to kick-outs and free throws

• Kepnang: interior finishes, rim protection

USC leaders

• Productive first-half shooting from the wing spots; double-digit scoring spread among primary perimeter options

• Bench contributed pace and spacing before the offense stalled late

Team trends

• Paint/FTs: Washington owned the lane post-halftime and won the line.

• Rebounding: Huskies controlled the defensive glass in the final 10 minutes.

• Turnovers: Late miscues by USC fed Washington’s decisive run.

What it means in early December

For Washington, this is a résumé pillar: a true road win over an undefeated, ranked opponent to start conference play. The formula—rebounding, second-half defense, and an interior focal point—travels in league play. It also validates the rotation’s balance: a go-to big surrounded by guards who can toggle between creation and spacing.

For USC basketball, the loss stings but offers clarity. The Trojans’ best version leverages early-clock threes set up by paint touches and quick-hitting actions. When the ball sticks, they become jump-shot dependent. Expect tweaks: more purposeful middle pick-and-roll, repeated touches for the hottest hand, and an emphasis on gang rebounding when opponents downshift into small-ball crashes.

Looking ahead

• Washington: With momentum in hand, the Huskies can stack wins if they keep the turnover count low and maintain their glass dominance. Steinbach’s emergence as a nightly mismatch elevates their ceiling.

• USC: The response is the story now. Clean up defensive rebounding, re-establish the drive-and-kick game, and this group remains firmly in the top-tier conference conversation.

The Washington vs USC result flipped on toughness plays and a commanding night from Hannes Steinbach. If the Huskies replicate that second-half blueprint, they’ll be a headache for the rest of the league. For the Trojans, the tape offers a clear roadmap back to winning time.