How to Watch No. 5 Purdue vs. USC with TV Info, Key Stats and Preview
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Purdue is headed to Los Angeles for its lone West Coast trip of the season, playing USC on Saturday. The Boilermakers are hoping to improve to 7-0 in Big Ten play, while the Trojans are looking to knock off a ranked opponent for the first time this season.
This will be just the 10th meeting between the two programs, and it has the potential to be a good one in L.A. Here is everything you need to know about this weekend's matchup between Purdue and USC.
#5 Purdue (16-1, 6-0) vs. USC (14-3, 3-3)
- What: Big Ten Conference game
- Date: Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026
- Tipoff time: 6 p.m. ET
- Location: Galen Center in Los Angeles, Calif. (10,258 capacity)
- TV: Peacock
- App: NBC Sports/Peacock
- Announcers: Ted Robinson (play-by-play), Miles Simon (analyst)
- Radio: Purdue Global Radio Network — WAZY 96.5 FM (Lafayette); WKJG 100.9 FM (Fort Wayne); WNDE 1260 AM (Indianapolis); WGBF 1280 (Evansville); Sirius XM 162 or 195; View all listings: CLICK HERE
- Radio announcers: Rob Blackman (play-by-play), Bobby Riddell (analyst), Wes Scott (producer).
- Live stats: Purdue.StatBroadcast.com
- All-time series: Purdue leads the all-time series vs USC 5-4
- ESPN Matchup Predictor: Purdue has an75.6% chance to defeat USC
Rankings
Purdue Boilermakers
- Associated Press — Purdue is ranked No. 5
- Coaches — Purdue is ranked No. 5
- KenPom — Purdue is ranked No. 4
- NCAA NET — Purdue is ranked No. 5
USC Trojans
- Associated Press — USC is not ranked, but received 1 vote
- Coaches — USC is not ranked, but received 1 vote
- KenPom — USC is ranked No. 51
- NCAA NET — USC is ranked No. 46
Team Stats
Stats (per game) | #5 Purdue | USC |
|---|---|---|
Scoring | 86.0 ppg | 84.5 ppg |
Points allowed | 68.3 ppg | 76.2 ppg |
FG% | 51.8% | 47.5% |
3FG% | 39.5% | 33.8% |
Rebounds | 38.1 rpg | 37.5 rpg |
Assists | 20.9 apg | 16.5 apg |
Steals | 5.9 spg | 6.7 spg |
Blocks | 3.4 bpg | 5.9 |
Turnovers | 9.8 topg | 12.9 topg |
Key Players
Purdue Boilermakers
- Braden Smith, G — Smith was named the Big Ten Player of the Week for the third time this year after his performances in wins over Washington and Penn State. The senior guard averaged 24.5 points, 10.5 assists, and 2.5 steals per game in a pair of wins for the Boilermakers. He also recently became the Big Ten's all-time assist leader. Whether it's facilitating or scoring, Smith is a player who can beat teams in a variety of ways. He's currently Purdue's leading scorer and the top passer in the nation, averaging 14.2 points and 9.6 assists per game.
- Fletcher Loyer, G — Loyer has gone through some ups and downs over the last two weeks, but shot the ball well in Purdue's win over Penn State over the weekend, scoring 17 points and going 6-of-10 from the floor. He's still one of the Big Ten's top shooters and remains lethal from three-point range, hitting at a 39.6% clip for the year.
- Trey Kaufman-Renn, F — The greatest evolution of Kaufman-Renn's game has come on the glass, as he's averaging 9.5 rebounds per game to go along with 13.2 points. His effort in the rebounding department has been a huge advantage for the Boilermakers, making him a major factor in games even if his point total is low. The senior forward provides Purdue with a big, physical presence who can hit shots from the low post or around the free-throw line.
- Oscar Cluff, C — Cluff has become a big, bruising center for the Boilermakers this year. He's averaging 11.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. He's been incredibly efficient with the basketball in his hands, shooting at a 75.5% clip this year. Cluff is a player who gets better as games progress, as opposing big men wear down from having to battle with his size and energy down low.
USC Trojans
- Chad Baker-Mazara, G — Baker-Mazara has stepped up as USC's leading scorer in the absence of Rodney Rice. His 6-foot-7 size gives the Trojans great size at the guard position. He's averaging 19.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game. He's scored 20 points or more in eight games this season. In last week's win over Minnesota, he scored 29 points and dished out eight assists.
- Ezra Ausar, F — Ausar is another one of USC's top scorers and rebounders this season, averaging 16.4 points and 5.9 boards per contest. He's especially skilled at getting to the free throw line, averaging 8.5 attempts per game, which ranks fifth in the NCAA. Ausar has been on a scoring tear, scoring at least 12 points in his last eight games.
- Jacob Cofie, F —Cofie is a weapon on both ends of the floor, averaging 9.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game. The 6-foot-10 sophomore isn't the most prolific scorer, but he does rebound the basketball consistently and has proven to be a rim protector on the defensive end. Some of the big men in the conference have given Cofie trouble, but he is still problematic when he's on the floor.
- Jordan Marsh, G — Marsh is coming off his best performance of the season, scoring 20 points, grabbing four rebounds, and dishing out four assists in an 88-71 win over Maryland. He's averaging just 6.8 points per game, but has been USC's top three-point shooter for the year. He's connecting at a 47.4% clip, though he's only shooting 2.2 triples per game.
The Coaches
Matt Painter, Purdue
Painter is in his 21st season at Purdue and his 22nd year overall with the Boilermakers. In that time, he's led the program to five Big Ten regular season championships, two Big Ten Tournament titles, 16 NCAA Tournament appearances, and a trip to the National Championship Game in 2024.
A lot of Purdue's success has come in the last decade, with the Boilers adding four Big Ten championships to their collection since the start of the 2016-17 season. Painter has had four different players win the Big Ten Player of the Year Award five times: JaJuan Johnson (2010), Caleb Swanigan (2017), Zach Edey (2023, 2024), and Braden Smith (2025).
Painter is a Purdue alum, playing under legendary coach Gene Keady from 1989-93. After his playing career ended, he jumped right into coaching, working as an assistant at Washington & Jefferson (Division III) and Barton (Division II) before getting a job at Eastern Illinois (1995 to 1998). Painter then joined former Purdue assistant coach Bruce Weber at Southern Illinois as an assistant from 1998 through 2003. Painter then became head coach of the Salukis for the 2003-04 season.
In 2004, Painter returned to Purdue as the associate head coach alongside Keady before taking over the program for the 2005-06 season. In a win over Akron on Nov. 16, 2025, Painter won his 500th career game as a head coach.
- Overall record: 512-221
- Record at Purdue: 487-216
Eric Musselman, USC
Musselman is now in his second season at USC and his 11th year as a college head coach. He has an extensive background in coaching, which includes stops in the NBA and the G-League over the last 40 years.
Musselman's first stop in the NBA was with the Minnesota Timberwolves as an assistant coach for the 1990-91 season. Along with stops in the G-League, he has been an assistant coach with the Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks, and Memphis Grizzlies. He was the head coach of the Golden State Warriors from 2002-04 and the Sacramento Kings for the 2006-07 campaign.
In 2012, Musselman got involved in college basketball as an assistant coach at Arizona State. He worked there until 2014, when he took a job at LSU for the 2014-15 season. Then, ahead of the 2015-16 campaign, he was named head coach at Nevada.
Musselman won three Mountain West titles at Nevada, posted a 110-34 record, and took his team to the NCAA Tournament three times. He then took the head coaching job at Arkansas in 2019, coaching the Razorbacks through the 2023-24 season. Musselman posted a 111-59 record with the program, and Arkansas played in three March Madness tournaments, reaching the Elite Eight twice.
- Overall record: 252-114
- Record at USC: 31-21
Preview
The fifth-ranked Boilermakers are looking to remain undefeated in Big Ten play, while the Trojans are hoping to get their first win over a ranked opponent this season. What should you keep an eye on Saturday evening?
Once again, Purdue's size with Cluff, Kaufman-Renn, and Daniel Jacobsen should be an advantage for the Boilermakers. The Trojans have athleticism and length, but they don't have the same post presence. The combination of Ausar and Cofie could cause some problems, but Purdue's rebounding and scoring ability in the post exceeds USC's.
Painter's team needs to be cautious in playing defense without fouling. USC is averaging 28.6 free throws per game this season, which ranks as the fourth-highest in college basketball. Ausar and Baker-Mazara are combining to average 15 attempts per game. The Trojans will try to get Purdue's bigs in foul trouble early.
This will also be the first road trip for Purdue since playing at Wisconsin on Jan. 3. It's been two weeks since the Boilermakers have traveled, and they just played a game on Wednesday. Will that mileage and quick turnaround be a factor? Not only is USC at home, but it has also had an extra day to rest and prepare for Purdue.
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5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT USC: USC has won back-to-back games, has a deep rotation and loves to get to the foul line. Here are a few things to know about the Trojans as Purdue comes to town. CLICK HERE
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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