Ezra Ausar scored 21 points and Jacob Cofie recorded a double-double as USC men's basketball survived a furious Rutgers rally for a 78-75 victory on January 31, 2026 at the Galen Center. The Trojans led by as many as 19 points in the second half before the Scarlet Knights stormed back to within three in the final minute.
This game had everything: dominant interior play, a near-collapse, and a clutch defensive stop. USC fans might need a stiff drink after this one.
USC's interior duo was virtually unstoppable in the first half. Cofie went a perfect 5-for-5 from the field before halftime, contributing 12 of his 15 points and muscling his way to 10 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. Ausar owned the block on both ends, converting 82 percent of his free throws and finishing with seven rebounds and two assists.
Their combined 36 points came primarily in the paint, where Rutgers simply had no answer. Ausar's three-point play midway through the second half extended the lead to 74-57 and seemed to put the game away.
Chad Baker-Mazara was the unsung hero. His two three-pointers and key defensive stop in the final seconds — a steal at midcourt with five seconds left — sealed the win. That play saved USC from what would have been one of the most embarrassing collapses of the college basketball season.
Credit to Rutgers (9-13, 2-9 Big Ten) for never quitting. Tariq Francis was magnificent off the bench with a game-high 26 points, scoring at all three levels and attacking downhill late as the Scarlet Knights forced turnovers and converted in transition. Dylan Grant added 14 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double of his own.
Rutgers outscored USC 45-38 in the second half and dominated second-chance points 19-7. The Scarlet Knights pressed full court in the final four minutes, forcing four Trojan turnovers and converting critical shots. Harun Zrno and Lino Mark knocked down timely threes to keep the rally alive.
Francis' jumper made it 78-75 with seconds remaining — the closest margin of the entire second half. One more stop, one more possession, and we might be talking about the comeback of the year.
Five-star recruit Alijah Arenas — son of NBA star Gilbert Arenas — made his season debut against Northwestern on January 21 and is still working his way into the rotation. He knocked down a three-pointer early in the second half during USC's dominant stretch, showing flashes of the talent that made him one of the top recruits in the country.
It's still early for Arenas, and expecting him to be a game-changer immediately would be unfair. But the potential is obvious, and USC's coaching staff is clearly bringing him along carefully.
USC improved to 16-6 overall and 5-6 in the Big Ten with the victory. After losing to Iowa 73-72 in their previous game — a contest where Kam Woods scored 33 points — the Trojans needed this one badly. Baker-Mazara leads the squad at 18.9 points per game, and when the interior game is clicking like it was Saturday, USC is tough to beat.
The Trojans are a Jekyll-and-Hyde team right now. They can beat anyone in the conference but can also lose to anyone. Getting Arenas fully integrated and maintaining the interior dominance from Ausar and Cofie will be key to making a postseason push.
At 9-13 and 2-9 in conference play, Rutgers' season is about development and building for the future. But games like this — specifically the second half — show that this team has fight. Francis averaging 18.7 points over his last 10 games off the bench gives the Scarlet Knights a legitimate scoring threat, and the bench production (47-8 advantage over USC) is a real strength.
The California road trip continues at UCLA, which will be an even tougher test. But Steve Pikiell's group showed they can compete with anyone when they play with the urgency they displayed in those final 10 minutes.
The bottom line: USC's interior dominance won this game, but Rutgers' heart nearly stole it. The Trojans need to learn how to close teams out — blowing a 19-point lead shouldn't happen at this level. Rutgers showed that even in a down season, they're capable of pushing anyone to the brink.