 "Photo: Quincy Dein | Daily Trojan")
Two games in three days, played more than 3,000 miles apart, against two of the top-3 teams in the country. When USC reached overtime against No. 2 Memphis, it had nothing left in its tank.
The Trojans made one field goal in overtime - a layup by guard O.J. Mayo with 14.8 seconds to go - en route to a 62-58 loss to the Tigers in the Jimmy V Classic held at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
It was USC's second heartbreaking loss of this young season, after dropping a home game to No. 3 Kansas on Sunday, 59-55.
While the Trojans never had a chance to win Sunday's game at the end, Tuesday night's contest was a different story.
Guard Daniel Hackett was fouled with 6 seconds remaining with USC, which was in the double bonus, trailing by just 1 point.
Hackett, a 79 percent free throw shooter going into the game, made the first attempt but missed the second.
Memphis guard Derrick Rose tore down the court and found forward Robert Dozier for an open 3-pointer, but Dozier missed, sending the game into extra time.
USC (6-3) never regained the lead.
The Trojans shot just one of six in overtime, struggling to find an open look. Mayo, who finished the game with 16 points on six of 20 shooting, missed three of the team's shots before making the lone field goal as time wound down.
USC shot 28.6 percent for the game, by far its worst shooting performance of the season. It kept it close by holding the Tigers (7-0) to their worst scoring output of the year after coming into the night averaging 85.7 points per game.
"We got back on defense and got ahead of the ball," USC coach Tim Floyd told ESPN at halftime, adding that the Trojans only had 24 hours to prepare for the game.
The team's overtime performance, in which it was outrebounded 9-4 and allowed an unavaded layup by Memphis guard Antonio Anderson, suggested that perhaps the hectic schedule had caught up with the Trojans.
"They're playing volleyball with it on both boards," said Floyd about Memphis' rebounding effort.
After seizing the lead on the heels of an 8-point run late in regulation, it appeared as if USC wouldn't even get the chance to play overtime.
The Tigers held three separate 3-point leads in regulation - the last with only 33 seconds remaining after guard Chris Douglas-Roberts made a pair of free throws.
USC center Taj Gibson picked up his fifth foul on the play, making it three straight games in which the Brooklyn native has fouled out.
On the ensuing possession, Mayo nearly threw the ball away, but forward Davon Jefferson gathered it, drove to the basket and got fouled, making both free throws to cut the lead to 1.
Douglas-Roberts was then fouled again, this time missing the front end of a one-and-one. Hackett snagged the rebound and was fouled by Douglas-Roberts as he tried to break down the court. Hackett, however, could not capitalize on the opportunity to complete a major upset.
The first half was a continuation of USC's impressive defensive trend. The Trojans held the Tigers to just 24 points at the half.
Memphis' stars, Rose and Douglas-Roberts, scored a combined 2 points on one of six shooting. The duo finished the game with 19 points.
The Trojans jumped out to a 14-7 lead with 7 points from Mayo, who made his first three shots.
As the half wore on, USC tried to work the ball inside but was denied on several occasions by the Tigers, whose front line is led by 6-foot-9, 265-pound Joey Dorsey.
Blocks on the defensive end and offensive rebounds on the other end helped Memphis to a 24-21 lead with 4:26 to go in the half.
The Trojans, however, countered with an 8-0 run to end the half ahead 29-24. The run was highlighted by forward Rousean Cromwell's offensive rebound and authoritative dunk to give USC the lead.
The team now gets a break, not playing another regular season game until Dec. 17.
