The USC Trojans are set to host the No. 12 Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday afternoon at the Galen Center, aiming to snap a four-game losing streak. Nebraska enters the matchup with a record of 4-4, having started the season with a remarkable 20-0 run.
As the regular season draws to a close in the Big Ten Conference, the circumstances for both teams are notably different regarding their NCAA Tournament aspirations. Currently, USC is labeled as a “first four out” team, indicating they are on the verge of missing the tournament cut. In contrast, Nebraska is projected as a No. 3 seed and ranks among the highest-scoring teams in the conference, recently defeating Maryland 74-61.
USC”s head coach Eric Musselman emphasized the importance of focusing solely on winning the next game. “We”re just worried about winning the game,” he stated. This mentality is crucial as the Trojans look to recover from recent setbacks.
In their latest outing, Chad Baker-Mazara led the Trojans with 26 points, overcoming knee issues that sidelined him for portions of the game. Meanwhile, Alijah Arenas contributed ten points but struggled with ball security, recording five turnovers. Arenas, who has played only ten games this season due to injuries, is averaging 13.9 points per game.
Musselman reflected on the challenges faced by young players against strong teams like UCLA. “When you haven”t played against a level of competition like UCLA… it”s a different level for any freshman,” he noted.
Nebraska, on the other hand, has also encountered its share of challenges, with six players recently affected by an undisclosed illness that hampered their practice and performance. Bench player Kendall Blue missed the game against Maryland due to illness, while senior guard Jamarques Lawrence made his return in that game, contributing three points and six assists.
Following their victory over Maryland, Fred Hoiberg, the head coach of Nebraska, expressed pride in his team”s perseverance. “We have three very important games left, and then hopefully two postseasons,” he said. “It”s an exciting time of year, and I”m proud of these guys. You can”t get satisfied, which they”re not.”
Nebraska is striving to secure its first NCAA Tournament victory, holding an 0-8 record in March Madness history. Currently, they are outscoring opponents by an average of 13.1 points, led by the impressive performance of 6-foot-7 forward Pryce Sandfort, who averages 17.9 points per game.
