Alijah Arenas is getting hot at the right time and USC men's basketball keeps winning

The Trojans edged out Penn State 77-75, boosting their record to 18-6 overall and 7-6 in the Big Ten. Freshman Alijah Arenas sealed the win with a clutch game-winning layup in the final second, capping off an impressive 24-point performance. The victory marks their third straight win.

The Trojans are on fire heading into the final stretch of the regular season and are solidly in the NCAA Tournament mix. They are ranked 48th in KenPom and are part of a group of Big Ten teams (UCLA, Ohio State, Washington) that need to close strong and possibly win a round or two in the conference tournament to find a place in the big dance.

While USC's offensive shooting was off for most of the game, the Trojans took advantage of a Penn State team that didn’t have the talent to match a USC squad led by standout five-star freshman Arenas. USC pulled down 34 rebounds and came out on top in the turnover battle, despite giving the ball away 15 times.

Ezra Ausar and Kam Woods each scored 13 points, with Jacob Cofie adding 10 of his own. The Trojans struggled from the field but managed to hit 13 of 18 free throws, despite a 72% shooting mark overall, while Penn State only shot 60% from the line. It was one of those rare games where USC outperformed their opponent at the charity stripe.

The Trojans were on the bubble for making the NCAA Tournament, but their winning streak has secured them a solid spot for now. USC still needs to rack up more wins, but it’s looking likely they’ll surpass 20 victories this season, and being Maui Invitational Champions is a standout addition to their tournament resume.

The Trojans continue their road trip with a matchup against Ohio State on Feb. 11. Catch the game on Big Ten Network, with tipoff set for 3:30 p.m. PT (6:30 p.m. ET).