EAST LANSING -- The USC Trojans Men's basketball team could not get out of the state of Michigan faster as they suffered another 20-point loss on the road Monday evening, this time against No.
EAST LANSING -- The USC Trojans Men's basketball team could not get out of the state of Michigan faster as they suffered another 20-point loss on the road Monday evening, this time against No.12 Michigan State Spartans, handing the Trojans their third loss of the season by a hefty 80-51 final deficit.
From the opening tip, the Trojans' shooting woes from their last loss against Michigan spilled into East Lansing, with USC shooting an abysmal 21% from the floor in the first half. Leading scorer Chad Baker-Mazara was absent from the starting lineup and came off the bench, but he did not contribute like his normal self, finishing the game with a season low of 4 points on 2-6 shooting and 2 assists.
Ezra Ausar had to take on the responsibility of picking up the offense with Baker-Mazara's limited playing time and had an Ausar-like performance, notching 16 points on 5-11 shooting and a team-high 7 rebounds. Jerry Easter II followed behind Ausar with 12 points on 4-9 shooting and 1 assist.
The Michigan State Spartans had three separate players with 15 or more points. Jaxon Kohler had 16 points and went a perfect 6-6 on field goal attempts, Coen Carr scored a team-high 18 points on 6-14 shooting, and Jeremy Fears Jr. had 15 points and a team-high 7 assists.
On all facets of this matchup, the Spartans dominated the Trojans. Whether it be on fast break points, which Michigan outscored USC 25-5, or out-rebounding USC 39-30, there were little to no bright spots to brag home about in USC's road trip against the two Michigan powerhouses.
The fun doesn't stop here for the Trojans just yet, as they still have one more game on their three-game road schedule, with Minnesota left to face on Friday in Minneapolis. Yes, the Trojans start the 2026 portion of their schedule utterly embarrassed by two big-time Big Ten opponents by a 25-plus-point deficit, but there is still light at the end of the tunnel with freshman Alijah Arenas inching his way closer to making his collegiate debut later on this month, which will rightfully boost the lackluster offense the Trojans have been displaying.
Category: General Sports
