Intensity on the Court: USC vs. Michigan State
On March 27, the USC Trojans faced off against the Michigan State University Spartans in a highly anticipated matchup.
As the game began, Southern California's starting lineup—Daniel Hackett, DeMar, Dwight, Lian Dao, and Gibson—faced Michigan State's starting five—Carlin Lucas, Chris Allen, Durelle Summers, Rema Morgan, and Goran Sutton.
The game started with the tip-off between Goran Sutton and Lian Dao. Lian Dao leaped and tipped the ball towards USC's half-court. Daniel Hackett controlled the ball and advanced it steadily across mid-court.
Positioned against Rema Morgan in the post, Lian Dao called for the ball from Daniel. Despite Morgan's physical defense and attempts to disrupt Lian Dao's dribble, Lian Dao pivoted hard, spun, and dunked directly over Morgan, scoring the first points of the game.
"Don't let him have an easy basket, Rema! Get tough, don't back down at the slightest touch!" Michigan State's head coach Tom Izzo shouted from the sidelines, visibly displeased with Morgan's defensive effort.
Morgan acknowledged the criticism with a nod, clearly struggling to contain Lian Dao's strength and agility.
On the ensuing possession, Carlin Lucas scored a layup for Michigan State, capitalizing on USC's defensive adjustment and setting the score at 2-2.
Lian Dao, frustrated by Morgan's tight defense, attempted another inside move but was met with resistance. Adjusting quickly, he dribbled back beyond the three-point line. Morgan, cautious of Lian Dao's shooting ability, maintained a close guard.
Seeing an opportunity, Lian Dao pulled up and released a quick three-pointer. Despite Morgan's attempt to contest the shot, Lian Dao's shot was too fast and accurate, swishing through the net to give USC a 5-2 lead.
Morgan looked towards Coach Izzo, seeking guidance on adjusting his defensive strategy.
"Keep the pressure on him, Rema. Make him work for every shot. We can't let him get comfortable out there," Coach Izzo confident in his defensive tactics, instructed Morgan to increase physicality and wear down Lian Dao's energy, believing it would impact his shooting accuracy over time.
Rema Morgan nodded in acknowledgment, refocusing on his defensive stance as USC called a timeout to discuss strategy.
The early exchanges set the tone for a competitive game, with both teams showcasing their defensive strategies and offensive capabilities early on in the matchup.
Durrell Summers made a turnaround jumper assisted by Carlin Lucas.
In turn, Rema Morgan shadowed Lian Dao persistently, denying him any chance to receive the ball. No matter how Lian Dao maneuvered, Rema Morgan stuck to him like glue.
Seeing Lian Dao unable to break free, Daniel Hackett passed to DeMar, but Chris Allen intercepted the pass unexpectedly.
Carlin Lucas swiftly drove down the court and slammed home a dunk, leaving Tim shaking his head in frustration.
Michigan State's robust defense limited USC's opportunities, but in the following play, Lian Dao drained a three-pointer after receiving a pass from his teammates.
Lian Dao naturally excelled in the small forward and power forward positions. Rema Morgan, his defender, matched Lian Dao in size but lacked his wingspan and agility.
Tim gestured vigorously as Lian Dao nailed another three-pointer from outside.
"Defend, Defend!" Tim shouted to rally his team.
Carlin Lucas pushed the ball upcourt, Rema Morgan cut inside, and Lian Dao chased him closely. However, Goran Sutton blocked Lian Dao's path.
Lian Dao swiftly maneuvered around Goran Sutton's screen.
Rema Morgan received a lob from Carlin Lucas for a layup, but Lian Dao leaped and swatted the shot off the backboard.
Grabbing the rebound, Lian Dao fired a long pass to DeMar, who sprinted towards Michigan's half.
However, Michigan State's defense recovered quickly, they prevented DeMar from an easy fast break.
Carlin Lucas and Chris Allen double-teamed DeMar as he drove to the rim. Undeterred, DeMar flipped a no-look pass over his head.
Lian Dao soared over Carlin Lucas, caught the pass, and slammed it home over Chris Allen.
The forceful dunk knocked Chris Allen to the ground.
It was the first time fans witnessed DeMar setting up Lian Dao for an alley-oop dunk.
The crowd erupted in cheers, chanting Lian Dao's name and some even shouting "MVP! MVP!" in unison.
In that moment, Lian Dao dominated the Hubert Humphrey Arena.
The score stood at 10:6.
Recognizing the momentum shift, Tom Izzo quickly called a timeout to regroup Michigan State. Without it, USC would likely extend their lead further.
After the timeout, Carlin Lucas retained possession and feinted past Daniel Hackett, accelerating towards the paint for a second drive.
Lian Dao rushed to contest, but Carlin Lucas cleverly dished the ball behind to Rema Morgan for a layup.
It was a moment of inexperience for Lian Dao, failing to read Carlin Lucas's true intent.
Throughout the match, Rema Morgan shadowed Lian Dao relentlessly, using his physicality to wear down Lian Dao's energy.
Feeling winded, Lian Dao called for a pick-and-roll, but his subsequent three-point attempt missed. He struggled with his outside shot in the ensuing plays.
The score slipped to 10:12, with Michigan State taking the lead.
Adjusting his strategy, Lian Dao shifted focus from outside shooting to aggressive drives, scoring and facilitating for his teammates.
The score see-sawed as both teams exchanged baskets.
The first half concluded with a tight margin: 43:42.
A single point separated them.
On the bench, the heavy breathing of the starters signaled their exhaustion. Both USC and Michigan State players were gasping for air.
This defensive intensity was taking its toll on both sides.
However, Michigan State held a slight edge with a deeper bench compared to USC.
The second half commenced with substitutions from both teams, each cautious not to exhaust their key players too soon.
Managing their stamina would be crucial, particularly in the final decisive minutes of the game.