5 Things to Know About Purdue's Next Opponent — USC Trojans
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No. 5 Purdue is headed out to Los Angeles for the first time since the Big Ten expanded to 18 teams. Last year, the Boilers made the tip to Seattle and Eugene for games against Washington and Oregon. This year, they'll stay in L.A. for a few nights for matchups with USC and UCLA.
Saturday, Matt Painter and his squad will open up the West Coast road trip by playing Eric Musselman and the Trojans. USC has won back-to-back games and its depth, size, and athleticism could give Purdue some trouble.
Here are a few things to know about USC heading into Saturday's game.
Lost leading scorer to injury
USC suffered a big blow in November, when Rodney Rice was ruled out for the remainder of the season because of an injury that would require surgery. He played in just six games, but was the team's leading scorer and passer, averaging 20.3 points, 6.0 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game.
In Rice's absence, Chad Baker-Mazara and Ezra Ausar have stepped up for the Trojans. Baker-Mazara is now leading USC in the scoring and passing departments, averaging 19.1 points and 3.2 assists per contest. Ausar is also a high-profile scorer, averaging 16.4 points and 5.9 rebounds.
Those two have played major roles for USC over the last two months.
Not afraid to play 10 guys
Musselman might have one of the most unique rotations in college basketball. He frequently plays 10 guys, but there minutes can range from five to 25, depending on performance and situation. All 10 of those regular rotation players are averaging at least 12 minutes per game this season.
It can be a difficult lineup to prepare for, because you don't always know when a player will be called into action. USC has an unpredictability about them because of that approach. Sometimes it has worked, but other times it can be difficult for players to get into a rhythm.
Playing that many guys can also keep players fresh throughout the course of a game, as well as the season.
Cofie is the big man to watch
Jacob Cofie, a 6-foot-10 transfer from Virginia, has played extremely well for the Trojans this season as a big man. He's averaging 9.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, and 1.8 assists per game. He's also shooting at a 55.8% clip. He also has the capability to hit shots from three-point range, though it's not the greatest strength to his game.
Cofie got off to a really strong start this season, recording double-doubles in each of his first two games with USC. Teams with quality post players have given him some trouble, but he's continued to be effective down low and is consistently crashing the glass.
He's a real threat on both ends of the court because of his length. Cofie gives USC a quality shot-blocker on the defensive end, in addition to his offensive skills.
Living at the free throw line
Not many teams in college basketball are doing a better job getting to the free throw line than USC. The Trojans are averaging 28.6 foul shots per contest this season, an average that ranks fourth in college basketball. They're also taking advantage of those opportunities, connecting at a 73.3% mark.
Ausar has been the best at drawing contact, averaging 8.5 free throws per game, fifth-highest average in college basketball. Baker-Mazara is among the top-100 getting to the line, shooting 6.2 per game.
Playing aggressive defense without fouling is something opponents have struggled with. USC can get opponents into foul trouble early and also make them pay with their efficiency at the charity stripe.
0-2 against ranked opponents
USC is off to a really good start this season, sitting at 14-3 on the year and 3-3 in Big Ten play. However, the Trojans have lost to the only two ranked opponents they've faced this year: Michigan and Michigan State.
Musselman's team dropped a 96-66 game to No. 2 Michigan and followed that with an 80-51 loss to No. 12 Michigan State in back-to-back games. Both of those were on the road, though, which makes a big difference in the Big Ten.
The Trojans have responded nicely, getting a road win over Minnesota and pummeling Maryland 88-71 back in Los Angeles on Tuesday. This will be a confident group, and one looking to get a ranked win over No. 5 Purdue.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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