Indiana Eyes Momentum as Hoosiers Face USC in First-Ever Trip to Galen Center
Indiana basketball is riding a wave of confidence into Tuesday night’s matchup with USC, and for good reason. After weathering a tough four-game skid, the Hoosiers have flipped the script with three straight wins - Rutgers, Purdue, and UCLA - and now have a chance to sweep their West Coast road trip. That would be a big-time boost, not just for morale, but for their NCAA tournament résumé.
Tip-off is set for 10 p.m. ET at the Galen Center in Los Angeles - IU’s first visit to the building since it opened in 2006.
The Trojans come in at 16-6 overall and 5-6 in Big Ten play. Indiana holds a narrow 3-2 edge in the all-time series.
But this one’s more than just a historical footnote. It’s a chance for Indiana to keep momentum rolling during a crucial stretch.
After USC, the Hoosiers return home for a pair of big games against Wisconsin and Oregon - all within a seven-day span - before a short break leading into road matchups at Illinois and Purdue. It’s a defining stretch of the season, and it starts Tuesday night in L.A.
Meet the Trojans: Talented but Battered
USC started the season on fire, ripping off eight straight wins and capturing the Maui Invitational title. But since early December, it’s been a different story. The Trojans have tumbled from No. 26 to No. 50 in KenPom, and injuries have played a major role.
Eric Musselman’s squad has been without guard Rodney Rice since early in the season due to a shoulder injury. Five-star freshman Alijah Arenas, the son of former NBA star Gilbert Arenas, only recently joined the starting lineup after missing the first 18 games with a torn meniscus.
USC also added veteran guard Kam Woods in mid-December to bolster a thin backcourt. But even with the reinforcements, the rotation is razor-thin - only six players have logged double-digit minutes in each of the last two games. Guard Jordan Marsh, who chips in 7.3 points per game, has missed the last three contests with a foot injury.
Despite the injuries, the Trojans still have a trio of steady contributors who’ve played every game this season - and they’re the heart of the team.
Baker-Mazara: The Engine of USC’s Offense
Chad Baker-Mazara is the headliner. The 6-foot-7 wing transferred in from Auburn for his final season and has been nothing short of electric. He’s averaging 18.8 points, 4.3 boards, and three assists per game while shooting 44.2 percent from the field, 37 percent from deep, and an eye-popping 90.5 percent at the free-throw line.
This is Baker-Mazara’s fourth stop - San Diego State, Duquesne, Auburn, and now USC - but he’s found a groove in L.A. He’s scored in double figures in all but one game this season, and that lone exception came when he was limited to eight minutes due to a neck injury. He’s a tough cover, and Indiana will need to make him work for his buckets.
Backcourt Shuffle: Woods and Arenas
Kam Woods, a 6-foot-2 journeyman now at his fifth school, has had an up-and-down start at USC. He’s only reached double figures once in nine games - but that one game was a 33-point explosion at Iowa. Still, he’s struggled with efficiency, shooting just 2-for-17 from beyond the arc.
Arenas, meanwhile, is just getting his feet under him after a brutal run of injuries, including a car accident last April and the meniscus tear in July. Through four games, he’s averaging 7.5 points in 23.3 minutes, but his shooting numbers - 35.7 percent on twos and 14.3 percent on threes - show he’s still shaking off the rust.
Freshman Jerry Easter also gets rotation minutes off the bench. At 6-foot-5, he’s averaging five points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in just under 20 minutes per game. He’s shooting 43.1 percent inside the arc but just 16.7 percent from deep.
Frontcourt Power: Ausar and Cofie
USC’s frontcourt is anchored by two physical, productive transfers in Ezra Ausar and Jacob Cofie.
Ausar, a 6-foot-9, 253-pound bruiser who previously played at East Carolina and Utah, is a problem in the paint. He draws eight fouls per 40 minutes - seventh-most in the nation - and is averaging 16.1 points on 61 percent shooting. He’s not a great free-throw shooter (67.2 percent), but his physicality could be a challenge for IU’s relatively undersized front line.
Cofie, a 6-foot-10 sophomore from Virginia, is a steady presence inside. He’s putting up 9.9 points, 7.4 boards, and 1.7 blocks in nearly 30 minutes a night. He’s efficient around the rim (54.6 percent shooting) but struggles at the line, hitting just 52.9 percent of his free throws.
Stat Snapshot: Tempo, Turnovers, and the 3-Point Divide
This game features a stylistic clash on offense.
Indiana has leaned heavily on the three-ball during Big Ten play, shooting 36.4 percent from deep - one of the better marks in the league. USC, on the other hand, takes fewer threes than anyone in the conference and connects at just 27.1 percent - dead last in Big Ten play.
The Trojans do their damage inside and at the stripe. They rank second in the league in free-throw rate (FTA/FGA) at 41.5 percent, and a league-high 23.1 percent of their points come from the line. That’s something Indiana’s defense will have to manage - especially with Ausar’s knack for drawing contact.
USC likes to push the pace - they’re the second-fastest team in the Big Ten - but that tempo comes at a cost. They’re coughing the ball up on 18.1 percent of their possessions, the third-worst mark in the league. They also struggle at the line, shooting just 69.7 percent as a team.
Defensively, the Trojans are middle-of-the-pack in most categories but do a solid job defending inside the arc, holding opponents to 51.8 percent shooting on twos - fifth-best in the Big Ten.
What to Watch For
Indiana is coming off a double-overtime grind at UCLA, so legs could be a factor. The Hoosiers will need to find energy early, especially against a USC team that likes to run.
The Galen Center hasn’t exactly been a fortress this season - attendance has been spotty, with crowds hovering in the 4,500-5,500 range for most Big Ten games. That could work in IU’s favor if they can set the tone early and take the crowd out of it.
Stat projections have this one as a virtual toss-up. KenPom gives Indiana a 51 percent chance to win, while Bart Torvik favors the Hoosiers slightly more at 58 percent.
For Indiana to leave L.A. with a win, they’ll need to keep their composure, limit turnovers, and knock down open threes. Perhaps most importantly, they’ll need to keep Baker-Mazara in check and avoid foul trouble inside. If they do that, a 2-0 West Coast trip - and a major résumé boost - is well within reach.