USC Aims to Bounce Back as Rutgers Fights for Big Ten Tournament Spot

The USC Trojans are looking to end their East Coast road trip on a high note when they face the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Sunday in Piscataway, N.J.

After back-to-back losses—including an 88-71 blowout at Maryland—USC needs a bounce-back performance to stay competitive in the Big Ten standings. Meanwhile, Rutgers is battling for its postseason future, sitting in a three-way tie for the final Big Ten Tournament spot.

USC Struggling to Close Out Games

The Trojans (14-12, 6-9 Big Ten) have struggled with consistency, especially in crunch time. In their Feb. 15 loss to Minnesota (69-66), USC surrendered an 8-0 run to end the game. Against Maryland, they fought back from slow starts but ran out of gas late.

Head coach Eric Musselman wants a stronger effort from his squad.

“We have to come play,” Musselman said. “We took some ill-advised shots. Now we have to go to Rutgers and play against two NBA lottery picks.”

Those lottery picks—freshman guards Dylan Harper (19.2 PPG) and Ace Bailey (18.6 PPG)—lead Rutgers’ attack and will test USC’s perimeter defense.

Rutgers Fighting for Its Tournament Life

Rutgers (13-14, 6-10 Big Ten) snapped a three-game losing streak on Wednesday with a hard-fought 89-85 overtime win at Washington.

Dylan Harper exploded for 34 points, marking his third 30+ point game this season. His backcourt partner, Jeremiah Williams (13 points, key steal vs. Washington), has been stepping up after an inconsistent season.

Williams knows Rutgers needs every win possible to secure a Big Ten Tournament berth.

“It’s been a little bit of a tough up-and-down year, but that’s who I think I am as a basketball player,” Williams said. “Make a play, and make the right play most importantly.”

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Key Matchup: Rutgers’ Defense vs. USC’s Perimeter Scorers

USC’s top four scorers—Desmond Claude (15.6 PPG), Wesley Yates III (13.1 PPG), Chibuzo Agbo (11.8 PPG), and Saint Thomas (9.9 PPG)—all play on the perimeter.

If Rutgers can slow them down, the Scarlet Knights have a great chance to secure another crucial win.

Who Has the Edge?

USC desperately needs a win to avoid its third straight loss, while Rutgers is in full survival mode for postseason eligibility.

Can USC’s offense break through, or will Rutgers ride Harper and Bailey to another critical victory?

We’ll find out Sunday.