THEY WON PURELY BECAUSE OF LUCK. The words spilled out of Indiana head coach Darian DeVries’ mouth with visible anger still written across his face, moments after his team collapsed 75–81 against the USC Trojans in a punishing second overtime thriller. Inside a packed arena still buzzing from exhaustion and adrenaline, DeVries’ statement cut through the noise like a challenge, instantly igniting debate across the college basketball world.
The loss itself was brutal enough. Indiana had fought through regulation, survived one overtime, and pushed USC to the very edge before finally running out of answers in the second extra period. But it was DeVries’ postgame reaction that transformed a hard-fought defeat into a national talking point. His assertion that USC won “purely because of luck” felt less like analysis and more like an emotional eruption, one that resonated far beyond the locker room.
For the Trojans, the comment landed as both motivation and validation. USC had just executed under the harshest possible conditions, displaying composure, depth, and mental resilience when the game demanded it most. To reduce that performance to luck struck a nerve, especially for a team that had spent the season fighting for respect.
No one embodied that response more clearly than Alijah Arenas. The USC star did not raise his voice or launch into a lengthy rebuttal. He did not dissect plays or point fingers. Instead, Arenas delivered five words that instantly shifted the narrative and forced Indiana to confront reality. “Luck doesn’t score 81,” Arenas said calmly, his tone measured but unmistakably firm.
Those five words traveled fast. Within minutes, they were circulating across social media, replayed on television panels, and quoted by analysts who saw them as the perfect counterpunch. In a sport often defined by clichés and emotional soundbites, Arenas’ response stood out for its simplicity and precision. It was not disrespectful. It was definitive.
The numbers backed him up. USC did not stumble into victory. The Trojans shot efficiently in both overtime periods, controlled key rebounds, and capitalized on Indiana’s defensive lapses. They made adjustments, spread the floor, and trusted their leaders when fatigue threatened to unravel execution. In the second overtime alone, USC outscored Indiana by six points, turning a razor-thin contest into a clear statement of late-game superiority.
DeVries’ frustration was understandable. Indiana had opportunities to close the game earlier, including open looks and critical defensive possessions that slipped away. Yet basketball history is unforgiving to teams that fail to seize those moments. Luck may influence a bounce or a whistle, but sustained success across ten additional minutes requires more than chance.
Inside the Indiana locker room, the mood was somber. Players avoided the media, shoulders slumped, faces drained. They knew how close they had come, and they also knew how far that still was from winning. One assistant coach, speaking quietly afterward, acknowledged that the margin between victory and defeat was execution, not fate.
For USC, the win carried weight far beyond the scoreboard. It was a road test of character, a showcase of mental toughness, and a reminder that this group could withstand pressure when the stakes peaked. Arenas finished the game as more than just a scorer. He emerged as a leader capable of defining moments with both performance and presence.
Afterward, Arenas expanded slightly on his comment without losing its edge. “We prepared for this,” he said. “We trusted our work. When it got hard, we didn’t panic.” The implication was clear. Preparation, not luck, carried USC through double overtime.
College basketball analysts were quick to frame the exchange as a lesson in accountability. Emotional losses often produce emotional quotes, but championships are built on ownership. Several former coaches noted that public remarks can echo inside a locker room long after the media cycle moves on.
DeVries, to his credit, attempted to temper the situation the following day, acknowledging that USC “made the plays when it mattered most.” Still, the damage had been done. His original statement lingered, contrasted sharply against Arenas’ concise rebuttal, and became part of the story of the game itself.
For Indiana, the challenge now lies in response. The season does not pause for reflection, and resilience must replace frustration quickly. Close losses can either fracture a team or sharpen it. How Indiana channels this moment may define their trajectory moving forward.
For USC, the victory serves as fuel. Wins like this build belief, not only within the roster but across the program’s national perception. Surviving a double-overtime battle on the road, then answering criticism with poise, is the kind of experience that often reappears in March.
In the end, the game will be remembered not just for its exhausting length or its final score, but for the clash of perspectives that followed. One side saw luck. The other saw earned success. And in five calm words, Alijah Arenas reminded everyone that basketball, especially at its highest level, rarely rewards chance alone.
