USC’s Rally Falls Short in Columbus as Tournament Hopes Take a Hit
There’s never an easy night in Big Ten country, and Wednesday in Columbus proved exactly that for USC men’s basketball. The Trojans walked into the Schottenstein Center already short-handed and left with a frustrating 89-82 loss that could have significant implications for their NCAA Tournament hopes.
Let’s set the scene: USC was without its leading scorer, Chad Baker-Mazara, for a second straight game due to a knee injury. Alijah Arenas, the star freshman who’s been carrying more of the offensive load lately, struggled to find his rhythm.
Senior forward Ezra Ausar fouled out with over four minutes left. And just to make things more chaotic, the shot clock at the arena kept malfunctioning in the second half, causing multiple stoppages.
Still, somehow, with just a minute to go, the Trojans had clawed their way back into it. Down 82-81 after an Arenas three-pointer, USC had matched Ohio State’s earlier 10-2 run with one of its own. It was a gutsy response in a game that felt like it was slipping away, and it gave them a real shot at a resume-boosting road win.
But that final minute? It unraveled fast.
Fouls, turnovers, and missed shots sealed USC’s fate. The Buckeyes closed things out, and the Trojans were left to digest a loss that snapped their three-game win streak - their longest since joining the Big Ten - and tightened the screws on their postseason path.
A Game of Halves - and Missed Opportunities
This one was a tale of two halves, and the numbers tell the story. USC came out firing, hitting nearly 52% of their shots in the first half and heading into the break with a 43-40 lead.
But the second half was a different beast. The Trojans’ shooting dropped to just 34%, while Ohio State flipped the switch - jumping from 42% overall (and just 15% from three) in the first half to a scorching 60% from the field and 56% from deep after halftime.
That swing - a 13-point difference between halves - proved decisive.
Ezra Ausar felt the brunt of that shift. After a strong opening half (11 points on 3-for-5 shooting), he ran into foul trouble and cold shooting late, finishing with just 2 points in the second half and fouling out in crunch time.
Even so, he led the team with nine rebounds and added a season-high four steals. It was a gritty effort, but USC needed more from him down the stretch.
Sophomore forward Jacob Cofie had a similar arc. He started 4-for-5 from the field and 2-for-3 from deep, but cooled off after the break, going just 1-for-4 in the second half.
The lone bright spot off the bench? Jordan Marsh.
The junior guard didn’t score in the first half and played only five minutes, but came alive in the second, pouring in 13 points to keep USC within striking distance. He was the only Trojan reserve to make a dent offensively, as head coach Eric Musselman leaned heavily on his starters - Ausar, Cofie, Arenas, and graduate guard Kam Woods - for most of the night.
Arenas and Woods Keep Scoring, But Efficiency Remains a Concern
Kam Woods continues to solidify his role in the starting lineup. Since his 33-point outburst against Iowa in late January, he’s been a constant presence on the floor, rarely leaving the court. On Wednesday, he added 14 points on 6-of-13 shooting, along with six rebounds and three assists - another steady night for the midseason addition.
Arenas, meanwhile, continues to show flashes of the five-star potential that had USC fans buzzing before a knee injury sidelined him for the first half of the season. He finished with 25 points, his third straight 20-point game, but did it on just 6-of-19 shooting.
What kept his night afloat? A career-best 12 made free throws.
He’s getting to the line, which is a great sign, but for USC to make a real push, they’ll need his jumper to come around.
With Baker-Mazara still out and junior guard Rodney Rice done for the season, Arenas is being asked to do a lot - maybe more than expected this early in his college career. But the talent is obvious, and if his shot starts falling, he could be the difference-maker USC needs.
The Road Ahead: Every Game Matters
Before the trip to Columbus, USC was projected as a No. 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament - right on the bubble. A win over Ohio State, another bubble team, would’ve gone a long way in solidifying their case. Instead, the loss adds pressure to a brutal closing stretch.
The Trojans have six games left before the Big Ten Tournament, and the schedule isn’t doing them any favors. Matchups with top-10 teams Illinois and Nebraska loom large, and every remaining game now carries weight.
Next up: a showdown with No. 8 Illinois at home.
Tip-off is set for Wednesday at 7 p.m. It’s a massive opportunity for USC - a chance to bounce back, prove they belong in the tournament conversation, and remind everyone that this team, even when shorthanded, still has fight left in it.