If you watched the game inside Galen Center, it felt competitive. The energy was there. The defense had moments. USC even cut the lead to single digits in the second half against the No. 2 team in the country.

But when you step back and look at the analytics — possessions, efficiency, rebounding, and shot quality — the numbers start telling a deeper story.

In this episode of Beyond the Box Score, we break the game down quarter by quarter to uncover what really decided the matchup. From turnover rates and offensive ratings to second-chance possessions and shot profiles, the data reveals where USC competed and where the structural gaps showed up.

This isn’t just about the final score.

It’s about why the game unfolded the way it did.

🎙️ Beyond the Box Score — where we go deeper than the stat sheet to understand the game