USC men's basketball returns homes and continues its winning ways

The Trojans were all smiles as they returned to the Galen Center, cruising past Maryland 88-71 in their first home game of the 2026 calendar year. The win marked their second straight victory, boosting their record to 14-3 overall and 3-3 in Big Ten play.

In what was a very close first half, USC exploded for 46 points in the second half and pulled away from the Terrapins with relative ease. Jordan Marsh and Jerry Easter II were electric off the bench as they combined for 30 points and helped the USC bench score 46 points on the night.

The most impressive takeaway from the night is that USC committed only six turnovers, a testament to the message head coach Eric Musselman is sending and how well the team is embracing it. The Trojans have struggled with turnovers all season, but their extra care in this game was huge, not just in securing the win, but in handling a conference opponent with ease.

USC will have to put together some dominant performances with flattering score lines in order to secure an NCAA Tournament slot which will be harder to come by in the Big Ten, but clearly not impossible.

Another weakness this season has been rebounding, but USC managed to win that battle by outrebounding Maryland 35-24. The Trojans also put on a dominant display with 23 assists compared to just 6 for the visitors.

The Trojans return to action on Jan. 17 to take on No. 5 ranked Purdue. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. PT (6 p.m. ET) at the Galen Center, with the game airing on Peacock.