USC Cracks AP Top 25 After Red-Hot 7-0 Start: Here’s Why the Trojans Are Turning Heads
LOS ANGELES - Don’t look now, but USC men’s basketball is officially back in the national conversation. The Trojans have earned the No. 24 spot in the latest AP Top 25 poll, marking their first appearance in the rankings since November of last season. And based on what we’ve seen through the first seven games, it’s a spot they’ve earned every bit of.
Let’s break down what’s driving this early-season surge-and why this team might just be built to make some noise in their first Big Ten campaign.
A Fast Start That’s Making History
USC is off to a 7-0 start, and it hasn’t been a soft schedule. The Trojans opened their season with three straight blowout wins, each by 20 points or more-something this program hasn’t done since the 1928-29 season.
That’s nearly a century ago. Then came the real tests: three consecutive one-possession games, all of which USC managed to gut out with poise and late-game execution.
If you’re looking for a team that can win both with style and grit, this group is checking both boxes.
The cherry on top? A championship run at the Southwest Maui Invitational, capped by a standout performance from Chad Baker-Mazara, who took home tournament MVP honors. Baker-Mazara has emerged as a key figure in USC’s early-season identity-versatile, composed, and clutch when it counts.
This 7-0 start is the best for the Trojans since the 2021-22 season, when they opened the year 13-0. That squad made it to the NCAA Tournament.
This one? They’ve got the look of a team that could go even further.
What’s Fueling the Trojans’ Rise?
It’s not just the wins-it’s how they’re winning. USC is doing damage on both ends of the floor, and the numbers back it up.
Team Accolades Through Seven Games:
- 1st in the nation in made free throws per game (23.0)
- 2nd in the nation in free throw attempts per game (32.3)
- 3rd in the nation in blocks per game (7.4)
- 21st in the nation and 2nd in the Big Ten in scoring offense (91.9 points per game)
- One of just 25 teams still undefeated in Division I
That free-throw stat isn’t just a number-it’s a mindset. This team attacks the rim, plays through contact, and makes teams pay at the stripe. And when you’re getting to the line that often and converting, it’s a recipe for sustained success in tight games.
Defensively, the Trojans are protecting the paint at an elite level. Averaging over seven blocks per game, they’re not just contesting shots-they’re erasing them. That kind of rim protection can be a game-changer, especially in a conference like the Big Ten where physicality is the norm.
And offensively? Scoring nearly 92 points per game puts them among the most explosive teams in the country. They’re running, spacing, and sharing the ball in a way that makes them tough to guard for 40 minutes.
Big Ten Debut Up Next
Now comes the next test. USC opens Big Ten play on Tuesday night with a road trip to Oregon.
Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. PT at Matthew Knight Arena, and the game will be broadcast on FS1.
It’s a new chapter for the Trojans as they step into one of college basketball’s most competitive conferences. But if the first seven games are any indication, they’re not just joining the Big Ten-they’re planning to make an impact right away.
With a balanced roster, elite-level production on both ends, and a growing confidence that’s hard to miss, USC is starting to look like more than just a ranked team-they’re looking like a real contender.