USC Men’s Basketball Team Moves On from Second-Leading Scorer Chad Baker-Mazara

Chad Baker-Mazara Exits USC Basketball Program Following Injury

Chad Baker-Mazara, a key player for the Southern California basketball team, has departed the program following an injury sustained during Saturday’s game against Nebraska. The team announced his exit in a statement issued on Sunday, nearly a year after he played an instrumental role in helping Auburn reach the Final Four.

This season, Baker-Mazara emerged as the Trojans’ second-leading scorer, starting 22 of 26 games. He contributed 14 points in their recent 82-67 loss to No. 12 Nebraska, where he played 16 of his 19 minutes in the first half. However, he left the game three minutes into the second half after a hard fall on the baseline.

The brief statement from USC did not provide specific details regarding the circumstances of Baker-Mazara’s departure. Team spokesperson Kristen Keller declined to comment further, stating, “We have nothing additional to add at this time.”

Following the game, second-year coach Eric Musselman addressed Baker-Mazara’s situation. He noted that the player indicated he was unable to continue but had not yet discussed the matter with the training staff.

Baker-Mazara was observed sitting on the baseline next to the team bench, conversing with injured teammate Rodney Rice and a young woman during the second half. Musselman explained that the player’s seating arrangement was a result of limited space on the bench.

The 26-year-old graduate student from the Dominican Republic was the MVP of the Maui Invitational, a prestigious tournament won by the Trojans in November.

Baker-Mazara’s collegiate path has seen him at five different schools. He began at Duquesne, transferred to San Diego State, where he earned honors as the Mountain West Conference Sixth Man of the Year, and later spent a season at Northwest Florida State College. After two years at Auburn, he joined USC for his final season.

USC currently sits with an 18-11 record and 7-11 in the Big Ten, having lost five consecutive games. The team’s upcoming schedule includes a match on Wednesday against Washington and a home game against rival UCLA on March 7, ahead of the Big Ten Tournament starting on March 10.