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Chad Baker-Mazara, the USC Trojans leading scorer, has departed from the men's basketball program, the school confirmed Sunday, February 28 - shocking fans after a season that once held NCAA tournament promise.
The exit came after Saturday's home loss to No. 12 Nebraska, when Baker-Mazara left early in the second half following a hard fall blocking a shot from Pryce Sandfort. He told coach Eric Musselman he could not continue, then sat near fans instead of the bench.
Baker-Mazara, a 26-year-old graduate student, transferred to USC last spring after stops at Duquesne, San Diego State, and Northwest Florida State, before spending two seasons at Auburn, where he averaged 11.2 points and 3.3 rebounds, helping the Tigers reach the SEC title and Final Four.
After Rice's season-ending shoulder injury in late November, he became USC's top offensive option, averaging career highs of 18.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 26 games, including 21 points against Oregon and 25 versus UCLA prior to the Nebraska matchup.
USC provided no further explanation through spokesperson Kristen Keller, and head coach Eric Musselman added he had not spoken to an athletic trainer regarding the player's health.
USC collapse vs Nebraska Cornhuskers
A five-game skid intensified as USC fell 82-67 to No. 12 Nebraska at the Galen Center, following another lopsided loss to UCLA, with the offense unraveling after Baker-Mazara left early, leaving the team struggling to maintain cohesion.
The Auburn transfer scored five points early, giving USC an initial 8-5 lead, but Nebraska's three-point barrage and Sandfort's play sparked a 10-2 run, quickly seizing momentum and exposing defensive lapses for the Trojans.
USC had led for most of the first half thanks to 14 points from Baker-Mazara on two threes and two free throws, giving them a 36-31 halftime edge, yet a 28-foot four-point play from Sandfort shifted crowd energy and tilted the game toward Nebraska.
Freshman Alijah Arenas scored his first points at 13:20 in the second half, eventually totaling 14 points, but a 15-0 Cornhusker run extended the lead to 66-46, allowing Nebraska to cruise to victory and leaving USC's NCAA hopes in serious jeopardy.
Sandfort finished with 32 points, including five three-pointers, while the Trojans now face a must-win matchup at the Washington Huskies before closing the season at home against the UCLA Bruins on March 7, fighting to salvage a postseason bid.
USC (18-11, 7-11 Big Ten) had been positioned for its first NCAA tournament bid since 2023, but five straight losses now threaten their postseason hopes, with the regular season concluding at Washington and home against UCLA.