Usc Trojans vs Ohio State Buckeyes Picks and Predictions February 26th 2025

Stumbling Ohio State and Southern California Desperately Need a Win

Two teams in freefall meet on Wednesday night in Los Angeles, as Ohio State and Southern California both fight to halt three-game losing streaks and keep their Big Ten tournament hopes alive.

The Buckeyes (15-13, 7-10 Big Ten) are tied for 10th in the conference, while the Trojans (14-13, 6-10) cling to one of the final spots in the 15-team tournament field. With time running out in the regular season, both teams know the stakes couldn’t be higher.

USC coach Eric Musselman, in his first season with the Trojans, understands the urgency after his team’s recent struggles.

“We need to see if our group can be resilient,” Musselman said following Sunday’s 95-85 loss at Rutgers. “We have to get our minds and our bodies right to get ready for an Ohio State game. We have a lot to play for.”

USC’s season has been filled with ups and downs, including major upset victories over then-No. 7 Michigan State and then-No. 13 Illinois. However, the Trojans have now lost five of their past six games, starting with a heartbreaking 69-66 home loss to Minnesota on Feb. 15. Since then, road losses to No. 20 Maryland and Rutgers have put USC in a precarious position.

Buckeyes’ Offense Has Gone Cold

Ohio State’s tournament hopes have taken a major hit due to their two worst shooting performances of the season.

The Buckeyes set a season-low for points in a 70-49 home loss to Northwestern on Feb. 20, shooting just 32.7 percent from the field. They followed that up with a dismal 31.7 percent shooting effort in a 69-61 road loss at UCLA on Feb. 23.

Bruce Thornton, Ohio State’s leading scorer at 17.3 points per game, had a bounce-back performance against UCLA, dropping 21 points for his first 20-point game in the last five outings.

The Buckeyes could also get a boost from the possible return of center Aaron Bradshaw, who missed the past two games due to the flu. Head coach Jake Diebler expressed optimism about Bradshaw’s availability.

“We were concerned about being in tight quarters together,” Diebler said of Bradshaw’s illness. “We’re battling a couple different things right now. We wanted to make sure he’s not contagious. … If he’s healthy, we’re going to get him out here.”

Bradshaw, averaging 6.6 points and 2.8 rebounds in 18 games, could help Ohio State’s frontcourt match up against USC’s physical bigs.

Stay updated with live NCAA Basketball scores and dynamic odds for every matchup this season

USC Looking for a Spark

USC guard Desmond Claude has been a consistent scoring threat, increasing his season average to 16.2 points per game after a 30-point explosion against Rutgers. Wesley Yates, who averages 13.4 points, added 23 points in the loss, including 16 in the first half.

Despite their struggles, the Trojans know they have a chance to salvage their season with a strong finish.

Ohio State holds a 4-3 edge in the all-time series and won the most recent meeting, 79-73, in Columbus during the 1997-98 season.

Will the Buckeyes snap their losing streak and keep their tournament hopes alive, or can USC find the resilience Musselman is looking for?