Despite a spirited comeback effort, the Seton Hall men's basketball team fell just short against No. 23 USC, 71-63, in their first game at the Rady Children's Invitational on Thursday evening.

Kadary Richmond led the Pirates with 18 points and six rebounds, while Jaden Bediako added 12 points and seven boards. Dre Davis chipped in with 15 points and four rebounds.

The Pirates trailed by as many as 20 points early in the second half before cutting the lead to a one-possession game with 4:04 to play. However, USC was able to make enough free throws down the stretch to hold on for the victory.

Seton Hall turned up the defensive pressure in the second half, forcing turnovers and creating opportunities for easy baskets. They also got hot from three-point range, hitting 7-of-14 attempts in the second half.

Unfortunately for the Pirates, USC was able to answer every run they made. The Trojans shot 46.8% from the field and made 15-of-18 free throws.

Despite the loss, there were some positive takeaways for Seton Hall. They showed that they can compete with a top-25 team, and they never gave up. They also got a lot of contributions from their bench, including seven points and five rebounds from freshman Isaiah Coleman.

The Pirates will look to bounce back from this loss when they face San Diego State on Friday night.