Home / Sports / USC's Top Scorer Out After Mid-Game Exit
USC's Top Scorer Out After Mid-Game Exit
2 Mar
Summary
- USC's leading scorer, Chad Baker-Mazara, is no longer with the team.
- He exited Saturday's game after a hard fall and did not return.
- Baker-Mazara transferred to USC last spring after a varied college career.
Chad Baker-Mazara, the leading scorer for USC's men's basketball team, is no longer part of the program, the school confirmed on Sunday. This announcement follows Baker-Mazara's abrupt exit from Saturday's game against Nebraska.
He left the court in the second half after sustaining a hard fall while attempting to block a shot. Baker-Mazara informed coach Eric Musselman of his inability to continue and was later seen with fans rather than on the bench with his teammates.
The graduate student, aged 26, joined USC last spring, marking the fifth collegiate program of his career. His journey included stops at Duquesne, San Diego State, and junior college before a two-season stint at Auburn.
At Auburn, Baker-Mazara was a key starter, contributing significantly to their 2024-25 SEC regular-season championship and Final Four appearance. He averaged 11.2 points and shot nearly 40% from three-point range during his time with the Tigers.
Following Auburn's Final Four run, he transferred to USC, becoming the Trojans' primary offensive force after Rodney Rice suffered a season-ending injury. Baker-Mazara recorded career-highs in points (18.5 per game), rebounds (4.2), and assists (2.8) over 26 games this season.
Despite missing three games in February due to a knee injury, he returned to score 21 and 25 points in subsequent games. USC, currently with a 18-11 record and a 7-11 Big Ten standing, has lost five consecutive games and is now on the verge of missing the NCAA tournament. Their regular season concludes this week with games against Washington and UCLA.
