USC forward Chad Baker-Mazara, the team’s leading scorer, is no longer a member of the men’s basketball program, the school announced Sunday.
Baker-Mazara left Saturday’s home loss to No. 12 Nebraska early in the second half following a hard fall after he blocked a shot from Pryce Sandfort. Baker-Mazara told coach Eric Musselman he couldn’t go back in, then sat near injured USC star Rodney Rice in an area with fans instead of the bench with the rest of the team.
No reason or details for Baker-Mazara’s program departure were provided in USC’s brief statement issued through team spokesperson Kristen Keller, who told The Associated Press in a text message: “We have nothing additional to add at this time.”
After Saturday’s game, Musselman was asked about Baker-Mazara’s potential injury and future status.
“He said he couldn’t go,” Musselman said, adding that he had not spoken to an athletic trainer about the player’s health.
Asked whether it was customary for Baker-Mazara to be sitting next to fans, Musselman said it was because of a shortage of chairs on the bench.
Baker-Mazara, a 26-year-old graduate student, transferred to USC last spring as the fifth stop of his college career. He committed to Duquesne out of Spire Academy (Ohio), transferred to San Diego State after his freshman year for one season, then spent a year in junior college at Northwest Florida State.
Baker-Mazara finally found some stability at Auburn during his two campaigns with the Tigers. He started 43 games, averaging 11.2 points and 3.3 rebounds and shooting nearly 40% from 3-point range. He was a key starter on Auburn’s 2024-25 team that won the SEC regular-season title and advanced to the Final Four.
He was on the move again after the Final Four run, transferring to USC to play for Musselman. Baker-Mazara became the Trojans’ top offensive option once Rice went down because of a season-ending shoulder injury in late November and averaged a career-high 18.5 points in 26 games while also putting up career highs in rebounding (4.2) and assists (2.8).
Baker-Mazara sat out three games in February because of a knee injury but returned to score 21 points against Oregon and 25 points versus UCLA before Saturday’s abbreviated performance.
USC (18-11, 7-11 Big Ten) was in position for its first NCAA tournament bid since 2023, but the Trojans have lost five games in a row, and their status is uncertain. They end the regular season with games at Washington and home against UCLA this week.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
