Deadspin | Southern California seeks Big Ten momentum against reeling Northwestern

[ad_1] Jan 13, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans guard Chad Baker-Mazara (4) gestures towards the Maryland Terrapins within the first half at Galen Middle. Necessary Credit score: Kirby Lee-Imagn Photographs Southern California welcomes Large Ten Convention counterpart Northwestern to Los Angeles on Wednesday as each groups look to get on observe in league play.

The Trojans (14-4, 3-4 Large Ten) pushed fourth-ranked Purdue to the restrict on Saturday however could not recover from the hump, resulting in a dropping report within the convention. USC had reached .500 after beginning 1-3 within the Large Ten with a 70-69 additional time victory at Minnesota on Jan. 9 and an 88-71 blowout of Maryland on Jan. 13.

"The struggle, the toughness, the scrappiness," Trojans coach Eric Musselman stated. "It is there... All we will do is get our guys to play as exhausting as they presumably can, which I believe they did. We have now to wash up the small execution stuff."

USC's points included taking pictures simply 5 of 14 free throws on Saturday. Chad Baker-Mazara, the Trojans' main scorer at 18.9 factors per sport, shoots 90.6% on the free-throw line for the season with 5.9 makes an attempt per sport. He didn't get to the road towards Purdue, nonetheless, as he got here off the bench for a second straight sport as a consequence of a neck damage.

Baker-Mazara's potential limitations proceed a regarding development for a USC group coping with an abundance of accidents this season. Rodney Rice is out for the yr with a shoulder damage he sustained over Thanksgiving week, and blue-chip freshman Alijah Arenas has but to make his debut due to a knee damage he suffered in the summertime.

The wounded Trojans purpose to capitalize on the woes which have Northwestern coming into Wednesday's sport on a five-game dropping streak.

The Wildcats (8-10, 0-7) stayed winless in Large Ten play after their robust week ended with a 77-58 loss at house to No. 7 Nebraska. Saturday's defeat was Northwestern's second straight sport towards a group ranked No. 11 or greater within the newest AP Ballot, with the Wildcats dropping to Illinois on Jan. 14, 79-68.

The 2 house setbacks towards extremely ranked competitors got here after a 77-75 additional time heartbreaker at Rutgers on Jan. 11.

"No one's letting go of the rope," Northwestern coach Chris Collins stated. "It has been a very troublesome week, three video games in six days. You come house towards two of the perfect groups within the nation, and also you battle however come up brief. The blokes have to clear their heads... earlier than we go to the West Coast and attempt to determine some issues out."

The Wildcats purpose to develop a extra constant offense to assist the Large Ten's prime scorer, Nick Martinelli. He averages 23.7 factors per sport and has scored 20 or extra in 9 straight contests, however Northwestern's second-leading scorer, Arrinten Web page, has had video games of simply two, seven, and no factors throughout the final 4 video games.

Web page, who performed the 2023-24 season at USC, has averaged 12.8 factors and 5.8 rebounds per sport however did not report both in simply 9 minutes towards Nebraska.