The USC men’s basketball team has no choice but to embrace in-game intensity. The number of injured players seems perpetually stuck at three, and it’s led to a string of close games.
The Trojans (16-6 overall, 5-6 Big Ten) beat Rutgers 78-75 on Saturday when Chad Baker-Mazara made a defensive stop at the last second, making the team 6-1 in one-possession games this season.
“Those situations will prepare us to win in the postseason,” Baker-Mazara told reporters. “If it comes down to a possession or two, we’ve had plenty of these games. Guys won’t panic or won’t lose their emotions, lose their control.”
His teammate, Ezra Ausar added: “We don’t like losing.”
USC’s Tuesday night game will be against an Indiana team that is no stranger to pressure, either. The Hoosiers (15-7, 6-5) are coming off a 98-97 double-overtime win over UCLA.
Freshman Trent Sisley hit the game-winning free throw with less than a second remaining after missing all three of his shots during the game and nearly half his free throws.
“They didn’t give into it,” Indiana coach Darian DeVries said in a postgame radio show. “That’s what makes all of us in the locker room, everyone who supports us, our fans. That’s what they want to see — that fight and resolve. These guys had an unbelievable double overtime to pull out a win.”
USC point guard Jordan Marsh has missed the last three games due to a toe injury and his status is currently day-to-day. He joins Rodney Rice and Amarion Dickerson on the list of injured players.
Nevertheless, the Trojans are still relying— and thriving — on their physicality and ability to disrupt opposing teams, especially close to the basket. The Trojans are making just over 50% of their shots from the paint or around the rim and score nearly 65% of their points from that area.
Ausar is a major component of that style of play. The former football player is second in the Big Ten with a 61% shooting percentage from close range and can use his aggressive style of play to get to the free-throw line.
The 6-foot-9 senior forward is third in the nation in free-throw attempts with 189 total, and he’s making 67.2% of those shots.
“We’re paying attention to the little details,” Ausar said. “Make sure we keep our foot on the gas and don’t get comfortable. It happened to us a couple of times, even (against Rutgers). Keep emphasizing that we gotta finish plays and finish the game.”
USC’s organized chaos will go up against Indiana’s efficient offense, which is shooting 46.8% from the field against Big Ten opponents. The Hoosiers’ long-range percentage of 36.4% is third-best in the conference and Nick Dorn is hitting 43.8% of his shots from afar in conference play.
INDIANA (15-7 overall, 6-5 Big Ten) at USC (16-6, 5-6)
When: 7 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Galen Center
TV/Radio: Peacock/ESPN LA 710
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