USC Hosts Washington State in Nonconference Clash of Former Pac-12 Rivals
For the 132nd time in program history, USC and Washington State are set to square off - but this time, it’s in a nonconference setting that reflects the shifting sands of college basketball’s conference realignment era. Sunday’s matchup in Los Angeles brings together two programs that once shared Pac-12 roots but now find themselves on very different trajectories.
USC Adjusting On the Fly - And Winning
USC enters the contest at 9-1, riding high after a gritty road win at San Diego. The Trojans flipped the script in the second half with a dominant 18-2 run, turning a deficit into a 94-81 victory. That kind of in-game resilience is becoming a hallmark of Eric Musselman’s squad - even as they battle through injuries and lineup shuffles.
Leading the charge is Chad Baker-Mazara, who poured in 31 points against San Diego and stuffed the stat sheet with six rebounds, six assists, and three blocks. He’s now averaging 21.9 points per game - a clear go-to scorer for a team still finding its rhythm without several key contributors.
USC is currently without Rodney Rice, Amarion Dickerson, and Alijah Arenas - three players who were expected to be major pieces this season. Rice’s absence, in particular, has left a noticeable void. The junior guard was averaging 20.3 points and six assists before a shoulder injury sidelined him during the Maui Invitational over Thanksgiving week.
“It’s a struggle without Rodney, Amarion, and Alijah,” Musselman admitted after Tuesday’s win. “We’re kind of surviving, but we’ve got to get a lot better. That was the message after the game - we’ve got to get back to our DNA offensively and defensively.”
Musselman has been tinkering with the lineup in response. On Tuesday, Ryan Cornish became the eighth different Trojan to start a game this season - a testament to the coaching staff’s willingness to adapt and the depth of the roster.
Still, the Trojans are looking to clean up some inconsistencies. Their last home game saw them give up an 18-point halftime lead in an 84-76 loss to Washington - their only blemish on the season so far.
Washington State Searching for Answers
On the other side, Washington State is trying to stop the bleeding. The Cougars come in at 3-7 and riding a four-game losing streak that began during their own trip to the Maui Invitational. Losses to Arizona State and Seton Hall in Hawaii were followed by setbacks at Bradley and at home against Nevada.
The Cougars’ offensive struggles have been front and center. In their last three games, they haven’t cracked the 65-point mark - including a 78-64 home loss to Nevada on Dec.
- That kind of scoring drought has become a troubling trend for a team averaging 76.7 points per game on the season, which ranks 199th nationally.
Defensively, things haven’t been much better: Washington State is allowing 79.6 points per contest, placing them 309th in the country.
“We’ve got to just continue to grow,” Cougars head coach David Riley said after the Nevada loss. “Eventually, we’ll run out of those ways to lose. We’re going to be able to flip this thing.”
The numbers tell the story: 20 turnovers against Bradley, 14 offensive rebounds allowed to Nevada - those are the kinds of mistakes that compound quickly, especially against high-powered offenses like USC’s. The Trojans are currently averaging 89.5 points per game, good for 20th in the nation.
A Familiar Matchup in a New Era
Though they’re no longer conference foes, there’s still plenty of familiarity between these two programs. They last met in February 2024 as Pac-12 opponents, and Sunday’s game marks their first meeting since USC joined the Big Ten and Washington State began a temporary stint in the West Coast Conference.
For USC, this will be their second straight game against a WCC opponent, and another chance to fine-tune a roster that’s still evolving. For Washington State, it’s an opportunity to reset against a top-tier offense and try to recapture some momentum.
The rivalry may have a new label, but the stakes remain high - especially for two programs trying to define themselves in a rapidly changing college basketball landscape.