On Saturday, bubble staff USC acquired dropped 82-67 at residence to No. 14 Nebraska.
On Sunday, issues worsened for an 18-11 Trojans squad that has misplaced 5 in a row and is enjoying its approach out of NCAA Match rivalry.
The varsity introduced that 26-year-old grad pupil Chad Baker-Mazara “is not a member of the USC Males’s Basketball program.” CBS Sports activities reached out to the varsity for additional clarification on the character of the break up however didn’t instantly hear again.
Baker-Mazara took a fall with 17 minutes to go within the second half on Sunday after making an attempt to make a block on a quick break. He didn’t return to motion. When he reappeared after being handled within the locker room, Baker-Mazara watched the remainder of the sport from the baseline versus the sideline bench along with his teammates.
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A participant leaving a staff earlier than the top of the common season just isn’t unprecedented however it’s extremely unusual. Baker-Mazara was averaging 18.5 factors per recreation along with 4.2 rebounds and a couple of.8 assists. He transferred to this system final spring after departing from Auburn following his distinguished function on a No. 1 seed.
Baker-Mazara’s weird exit means USC not has its prime two scorers and portal will get from final season; Rodney Rice (20.3 ppg) hasn’t performed since injuring his proper shoulder in mid-December. The Trojans acquired off to a superb begin, profitable the Maui Invitational en path to a 12-1 report. Since then the staff has gone 6-10, its possibilities of making the Large Dance dwindling by the sport. USC is tenuously on the bubble and listed within the “subsequent 4 out” in our Sunday morning Bracketology. The Trojans will wrap the common season at Washington on Wednesday after which host rival UCLA on Saturday.
