USC’s Top Scorer Chad Baker-Mazara No Longer Part of Men’s Basketball Program
Southern California Trojans guard Chad Baker-Mazara (4) shoots the ball against Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Harun Zrno (13) in the second half at the Galen Center on January 31, 2026.
USC men’s basketball forward Chad Baker-Mazara will no longer be with the program, the school announced Sunday. He was the Trojans’ top scorer this season.
January 31, 2026; Los Angeles, California, United States; Southern California Trojans guard Chad Baker-Mazara (4) shoots the ball against Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Harun Zrno (13) in the second half at Galen Center. Mandatory credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Baker-Mazara played his final game for USC on Saturday when the Trojans lost to No. 12 Nebraska at the Galen Center. The 26-year-old graduate student left the game early after suffering a heavy fall while blocking a shot from Nebraska forward Pryce Sandfort early in the second half.
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After the game, USC coach Eric Musselman told reporters that Baker-Mazara said he was unable to get back into the game after the fall. Baker-Mazara was seen sitting in an area close to fans and away from the team’s bench for the remainder of the game.
According to a report by Ryan Kartje of the Los Angeles Times, Baker-Mazara’s dismissal from the program was the result of several issues rather than a single incident.
USC still fighting for an NCAA Tournament bid
Losing Baker-Mazara at this point in the season is a big disadvantage for the Trojans, who are still fighting for their first NCAA Tournament bid since 2023.
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The Trojans have lost five straight and have just two regular-season games left to secure a spot in the NCAA tournament. USC plays Washington on the road Wednesday then finishes the regular season against UCLA on Saturday at the Galen Center.
Baker-Mazara, who transferred to USC from Auburn this season, averaged a team-high 18.5 points per game and shot a team-best 38 percent from beyond the arc. He also helped Auburn get through the Final Four last season before joining USC.
After USC star Rodney Rice suffered a shoulder injury in late November, Baker-Mazara stepped in for the Trojans’ offense. Now, USC will conquer the rest of the season without Rice and Baker-Mazara on the court.
Photo credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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