Preview: USC Trojans Basketball vs. Washington State

USC’s offense is peaking at the right time, and the Trojans showcased that firepower in their 94-81 win over San Diego. The game was tied at halftime before Ezra Ausar completely took over, finishing with a career-high 29 points, seven rebounds, and two steals. His physicality and control in the second half stabilized USC when the game momentarily wavered.

But the backcourt explosion didn’t stop there. Chad Baker-Mazara delivered 31 points and five made threes, pushing the Trojans ahead with a shot-making display that San Diego had no answer for. Freshman forward Jaden Brownell added 16 points off the bench, hitting four threes and giving USC critical spacing during their second-half surge.

The Trojans enter Sunday’s matchup averaging over 80 points per game while showcasing one of the deepest perimeter rotations in the Big Ten. Against a Washington State team struggling defensively, the USC backcourt has an opportunity to dictate tempo early.

Is There Any Slowing Down Chad Baker-Mazara?

Every opponent knows the scouting report, yet no one has solved him. Baker-Mazara is the only USC player since at least 1996-97 to average more than 21 points per game through the first 10 contests. His 31-point outing at San Diego made him the first Trojan with four straight 20-point games since Byron Wesley in 2013-14.

Zooming out, his production places him in rare national company. He is one of just three players in college basketball with at least six 20-point games and multiple 30-point performances, joining Purdue-Fort Wayne’s Corey Hadnot and Mississippi Valley State’s Michael James.

Since the injury to starting guard Rodney Rice, Baker-Mazara has stepped seamlessly into the primary scoring role, elevating his efficiency and usage without sacrificing shot quality. He enters this matchup with an unmistakable rhythm and the confidence to stretch this streak to five straight 20-point outings.

The question now becomes simple. Can Washington State be the first team to slow him down?

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Washington State Slumping but Dangerous

Washington State (3-7) travels to Los Angeles on a four-game losing streak, but their record doesn’t tell the full story of their personnel. The Cougars are powered by freshman guard Ace Glass, a Southern California native who returns home averaging 16.6 points per game and owning one of the season’s most eye-catching performances, a 40-point explosion vs. Arizona State in the Southwest Maui Invitational.

The Cougars bring meaningful depth as well, ranking inside the Top 50 nationally in bench scoring at 33.3 points per game. Their rotation is wide and young: 11 players have appeared in at least five games and are averaging two or more points.

- Adrià Rodriguez - 3 assists per game; six in the win over Chaminade
- ND Okafor - 16 blocks; team-leading 4.1 rebounds per game
- Tomas Thrastarson - 20 points in the recent loss to Nevada

But despite the talent, Washington State continues to fade late in games. In their 78-64 loss to Nevada, the Cougars surrendered seven made threes in the second half and 20 second-chance points. Their offense has stalled significantly, scoring fewer than 64 points in three straight losses. Still, Glass’ homecoming poses a real threat. If he finds rhythm early, the Cougars’ ceiling spikes.

USC vs. Washington State Prediction

The USC Trojans will beat the Washington State Cougars at home, 86-71.

• Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. 
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