After a gut-wrenching overtime loss to No. 7 Michigan State at home, Rutgers men’s basketball is heading west with something to prove.
The Scarlet Knights are riding a four-game skid, but they’ve shown flashes-especially in that near-upset of the Spartans-that suggest they’re not far off from turning things around. Their next test?
A Saturday matchup in Los Angeles against USC, the first leg of a two-game California swing that wraps up with UCLA on Tuesday.
This USC team isn’t exactly lighting up the Big Ten, but they’ve held their own in the middle of the pack. Wins over fellow mid-tier squads like Iowa and Wisconsin show they can handle business when needed, but losses to teams like Northwestern and Washington have exposed some inconsistency.
The Trojans lean heavily on their backcourt, with Chad Baker-Mazara leading the charge. He’s putting up 18.9 points per game while chipping in 4.2 boards and 3 assists-a dynamic presence who can score at all three levels.
Forward Ezra Ausar isn’t far behind, averaging 15.9 points and 6 rebounds per game, giving USC a reliable interior scoring option. Then there’s Jacob Cofie, who’s quietly become the team’s best rebounder, pulling down 7.3 per game and doing a lot of the dirty work inside.
USC was hoping for a breakout year from guard Rodney Rice, and through six games, he looked the part-averaging 20.3 points and 6 assists. But an injury and subsequent surgery have sidelined him for the rest of the season, leaving the Trojans without one of their most explosive weapons.
Statistically, USC holds the edge in several key categories. They’re averaging 81.6 points per game compared to Rutgers’ 70.1, and they’re more efficient from the field, shooting 47 percent overall.
They also move the ball better, with 15.6 assists per game to Rutgers’ 10.7. From the free-throw line, it’s about even-USC hits at a 71.4 percent clip, while Rutgers is just a tick better at 73.4 percent.
From deep, both teams hover around 32 percent.
Where Rutgers can tilt the game in their favor is in the turnover battle. When the Knights win the turnover margin, they give themselves a real shot-just look at their overtime win against Oregon or how they nearly toppled Michigan State. Creating chaos on defense and turning it into transition buckets is Rutgers’ best path to stealing a win on the road.
Rebounding will also be critical. The Knights were outmuscled on the boards in their last outing, and that can’t happen again if they want to hang with USC. Expect a more aggressive approach on the offensive glass-something they’ve leaned on in the past to stay competitive.
This isn’t a must-win in the standings, but it feels like a momentum checkpoint. If Rutgers can clean up the turnovers, battle on the boards, and keep USC from getting too comfortable offensively, they might just snap the losing streak and head into Tuesday’s clash with UCLA with renewed energy.