By Danielle Daniels

2 26 2025

GAME NOTES

https://usctrojans.com/documents/2025/2/25/USC_MBB_Notes_vs_OSU_2-26.pdf

LOS ANGELES – The USC Men’s Basketball team (14-13, 6-10 Big Ten) returns to the West Coast after a week away to take on Ohio State. These two teams have not played each other since 1997 when the Buckeyes took down the Trojans 79-73. USC has a 3-4 overall record against Ohio State.

LAST TIME OUT
The Trojans took on the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers in New Jersey this past Sunday. It was a gritty game between these two teams as they tied the score nine times over 40 minutes of play. Rutgers started with the lead, and even though the Trojans put themselves on top for six minutes, it was the Scarlet Knights who ultimately kept control of the game. Despite USC’s numerous efforts in the second half to make a comeback, Rutgers wouldn’t let it go, resulting in the third straight loss for USC with a score of 95-85.

Desmond Claude had one of his best nights of the season as he finished with 30 points. Wesley Yates III was the only other Trojan to secure double-digit points, grabbing 23. Josh Cohen had a great night on the boards in his home state as he snagged eight rebounds, five of which were offensive boards.

SCOUTING THE BUCKEYES

• Ohio State is currently on a three-game losing skid after losing to Michigan, Northwestern, and UCLA. Ohio State is 3-6 when playing away from home in 2024-25.
• The Buckeyes are one of the most aggressive teams in the Big Ten as they average 19.5 fouls per game – the highest mark of any Big Ten program. However, they have been holding opponents to 29.4 percent shooting from behind the arc in 2024-25, the second-best mark in the conference. Under head coach Jake Diebler, Ohio State runs the slowest offense with a lot of isolations, as the team averages just over five fastbreak points per game and manages 13 assists per contest.
• Junior guard Bruce Thornton has steadied the ship for the Buckeyes this season as he has the highest assist-to-turnover ratio in the entire Big Ten (3.0). In over 35 minutes per outing, Thornton is shooting 50.8 percent from the field this season – the second-highest mark of any Big Ten guard and eighth-highest in the conference. The Georgia native ranks in the Top 10 in the Big Ten in both points per game (17.3) and assists per game (4.3).
• Redshirt junior forward Devin Royal is a solid interior force for the Buckeyes. At 6-foot-6, he leads Ohio State in rebounding (7.0 per game) and is 10th in the Big Ten in both total rebounds (189) and offensive rebounds per game (2.2). Royal has also provided the Buckeyes with solid complementary scoring, as he averages 13.3 points per game.
• Freshman guard John Mobley Jr. has proven to be an outside threat for Ohio State in 2024-25. Averaging 13.0 points per game, Mobley Jr. has made 68 total three-point field goals on 170 attempts – the second-highest marks in the Big Ten. The Ohio native ranks third in the Big Ten in three-pointers per game (2.4).

WESLEY’S WAYS
He has built his success as the season went on as his numbers have increased every single month. In November, Yates averaged 7.9 points per game while shooting at 43.9 percent from the field and 27.3 percent from three. In February, he is averaging 19.3 points per game while shooting at 49.0 percent from the field and an impressive 60.7 percent from three. He is also sixth in the Big Ten according to Ken Pom when it comes to three-point percentage. He sits at 43.6 percent and is the only freshman in that category.

Not only did those numbers improve month-by-month, but they have increased heavily during the start of conference play. Yates currently leads the Big Ten through conference games when it comes to three-point field goal percentage for those who attempted at least two shots per game from beyond the arc. He is shooting at 51.6 percent from three.

LINE THEM UP
When comparing the lineup of Rashaun Agee, Chibuzo Agbo, Wesley Yates III, Desmond Claude and Saint Thomas to others across the country, USC is 16th in the NCAA and third in the Big Ten when it comes to observed offensive efficiency across a minimum of 180 possessions, coming in at 124.0, according to EvanMiya.com. The only Big Ten teams that rank higher are Maryland and Purdue.

WHEREABOUTS
The Trojans will take on the Buckeyes at 7:30 p.m. in the Galen Center on Wednesday, Feb. 26. For those who can’t make it to Los Angeles, they can watch on the Big Ten Network on listen through ESPN LA 710.

COURTESY USC ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS