Top scorer Chad Baker-Mazara leaves USC men’s basketball
Sixth-year senior guard Chad Baker-Mazara, who spent most of this season as the Trojans’ leading scorer, is no longer with the USC men’s basketball program, the school announced Sunday.
A person familiar with the situation but not authorized to speak publicly said it was not an isolated incident, but an accumulation of problems that led to Baker-Mazara’s departure.
Baker-Mazara left Saturday’s loss to Nebraska a few minutes into the second half after chasing a lay-in and falling hard to the court. USC coach Eric Musselman said after the game that Baker-Mazara told coaches he couldn’t return to the game.
After losing point guard Rodney Rice for the season in November, Baker-Mazara stepped into the void as the Trojans’ leading scorer, averaging 26 points per game over the remaining seven games on USC’s non-conference slate.
Baker-Mazara has become less reliable through Big Ten play. Five times during USC’s conference schedule, he played less than 20 minutes in a game, for one reason or another. Sometimes it was her health that held Baker-Mazara back. Other times it was less clear.
His exit at the gates of March is just another worrying sign for the Trojans, who have lost five in a row. USC has two games left in its regular season slate, with a trip to Washington scheduled for Wednesday and a home game against UCLA next weekend.
