EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsUSC 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 loss to Nebraska early in the second half following a hard fall after he blocked a shot by Pryce Sandfort. Baker-Mazara told coach Eric Musselman he couldn't go back in, then went and sat with injured USC star Rodney Rice in a section for fans, not on the bench with the rest of the team.Baker-Mazara, a 26-year-old graduate student, transferred to USC last spring, with the Trojans 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, spent one season with the Aztecs, then spent a year in junior college at Northwest Florida State.Baker-Mazara finally found some stability at Auburn, spending two seasons with the Tigers. He started 43 games over two seasons, 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, which 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 with a season-ending shoulder injury in late November and averaged a career-high 18.5 points in 26 games, also putting up career highs in rebounding (4.2 per game) and assists (2.8).Baker-Mazara missed three games in February with a knee injury but returned to score 21 points against Oregon and 25 points against 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 are now on the outside looking in. They end the regular season with games at Washington and home against UCLA this week.
