Tuesday night at the Galen Center wasn’t just another game on the schedule - it was a gut-check moment for USC men’s basketball. With Indiana in town and both squads scrapping for position in the middle of the Big Ten standings, this one carried real NCAA Tournament implications. And when the pressure was on, USC delivered.
The Trojans pulled out a hard-fought 81-75 win, and while the victory keeps their postseason hopes alive, it came with a potentially steep price.
Let’s start with the good: Alijah Arenas. The freshman guard had his breakout moment under the bright lights, pouring in 29 points and grabbing six rebounds in what was easily the most complete performance of his young college career.
He looked confident, composed, and unafraid of the moment - a big-time showing from a player who, not long ago, was recovering from a serious car accident that sidelined him for months. Now, just five games into his college career, he’s being asked to carry a heavy load - and on Tuesday night, he didn’t just carry it, he ran with it.
But the celebration was muted by a second-half injury to Chad Baker-Mazara, one of USC’s most important players. He left the game and didn’t return. Afterward, head coach Eric Musselman told reporters the initial belief is that it’s a knee sprain - possibly the MCL, not the ACL - but emphasized that nothing will be certain until the MRI results come back.
If Baker-Mazara is sidelined for any significant stretch, it’s a major blow. The Trojans are already without Rodney Rice for the season, and losing Baker-Mazara on top of that would leave USC without its two top players. That’s a tough ask for any team, let alone one still trying to build momentum in a loaded Big Ten.
In that scenario, the spotlight only gets brighter on Arenas. He’s shown flashes of star potential, but asking a true freshman - especially one just returning from a major injury - to shoulder the offensive and leadership burden in the heart of conference play is a tall order. Still, if Tuesday night was any indication, Arenas might be more ready than anyone expected.
For now, USC will take the win and wait anxiously for word on Baker-Mazara. The road ahead doesn’t get any easier, but if Arenas continues to rise and the team finds a way to rally, this could still be a season worth watching closely.