USC Heads to Columbus for Crucial Big Ten Clash with Ohio State
COLUMBUS - The Trojans are hitting the road once again, and this time, they’re heading straight into the heart of Big Ten country. USC Men’s Basketball (18-6, 7-6 Big Ten) takes on Ohio State (15-8, 7-6 Big Ten) in a conference showdown on Wednesday, Feb. 11 at the Jerome Schottenstein Center.
Tip-off is set for 3:30 p.m. PT, with the game airing on BTN.
This isn’t just another midseason matchup - it’s a battle between two teams locked in a tie in the Big Ten standings, both averaging 81.3 points per game, good for fifth in the conference. And with March creeping closer, every game, every possession, and every road trip matters just a little more.
Last Time Out: Arenas Delivers in the Clutch
USC is coming off a dramatic 77-75 win over Penn State, a game that once again showcased the Trojans’ poise in tight situations. Freshman phenom Alijah Arenas called game with a hook shot off the glass with just 0.7 seconds left, lifting USC to its seventh one-possession win of the season.
Arenas poured in a team-high 24 points, including 11 in the final four minutes - the kind of late-game takeover that’s becoming his signature. Kam Woods was the floor general, dishing out a season-high nine assists, while Ezra Ausar added 13 points to extend his streak of double-digit scoring games to 15.
That win marked USC’s fifth Big Ten road victory and continued a trend that’s defined their season: the ability to grind out wins away from home.
Scouting the Buckeyes: Thornton Leads the Charge
Ohio State enters the matchup looking to bounce back from an 82-61 loss to No. 2 Michigan.
Despite the loss, Bruce Thornton continues to be the engine of the Buckeyes’ offense. Averaging 19.2 points per game, he’s not only the team’s top scorer but also ranks sixth on Ohio State’s all-time scoring list.
He’s second in the Big Ten in field goals made (6.8 per game) and has scored in double figures in every game but one this season.
Thornton also leads the Buckeyes in assists (83) and steals (28), making him a two-way threat the Trojans will need to key in on.
Freshman guard John Mobley Jr. gives Ohio State a sharpshooting edge, hitting a team-best 40.5% from beyond the arc and leading in free throw percentage. He torched UCLA for six three-pointers in a January win, showing he can swing a game in a hurry.
The Buckeyes also get solid contributions from Devin Royal and Christoph Tilly, both of whom average double figures. Royal has notched three double-doubles this season, while Tilly’s efficient interior scoring helped seal a recent win over Maryland.
When Ohio State is at its best, it’s dominating the paint. In every one of their conference wins, the Buckeyes have outscored opponents inside - a clear sign of how much they rely on downhill drives and interior muscle.
Road-Tested Trojans
No team in the Big Ten - or the Power Four, for that matter - has traveled quite like USC this season. After wrapping up this swing through Penn State and Ohio State, the Trojans will have logged more than 18,500 flight miles across nine different states.
They’ve also taken on a grueling three-game road trip within conference play - a unique challenge no other Big Ten or Power Four team has faced this season. Earlier in the year, they spent 10 days on the road taking on Michigan, Michigan State, and Minnesota.
But here’s the thing: the Trojans haven’t just survived the travel, they’ve thrived in it. USC is 9-3 away from the Galen Center, tied with Nebraska for the second-most road and neutral-site wins in the Big Ten (only Michigan has more). Nationally, those nine wins away from home rank tied for 12th in the country.
And when the game gets tight, USC doesn’t flinch. The Trojans are 7-1 in one-possession games and 2-0 in overtime. That’s the best mark in the Big Ten for close contests - ahead of Nebraska (4) and Rutgers (3) - and leads all Power Four programs in games decided by two possessions or fewer (12 total).
The Bottom Line
Wednesday’s game isn’t just another date on the schedule - it’s a measuring stick. Both teams are in the thick of the Big Ten fight, and with identical conference records and scoring averages, this one has all the makings of a back-and-forth battle.
USC has proven it can win on the road. Ohio State’s shown it can control the paint and ride its backcourt stars to big wins. Something’s got to give.
The Trojans have been road warriors all season. Now they’ll look to add another big W to their resume - this time in Columbus.