Rutgers Men’s Basketball Rally Comes Up Just Short Against USC

Late push not enough as Rutgers Men’s Basketball falls at USC

Rutgers Scarlet Knights center Lathan Sommerville | Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Rutgers men’s basketball showed resilience, fire, and late-game belief Saturday night at the Galen Center. However, the comeback ultimately stopped just short. After trailing by as many as 19 points early in the second half, the Scarlet Knights stormed back with an 18–4 run in the closing minutes before falling 78–75 to USC. The final score did not fully capture how close Rutgers came to flipping the game after spending much of the night chasing momentum.

Rutgers Men's Basketball Team Lead the Charge

The loss dropped Rutgers to 9–13 overall and 2–9 in Big Ten play. On the other hand, USC improved to 16–6 and 5–6 in conference action.

Final.#TheKnighthood🛡️⚔️ pic.twitter.com/IIa6hxEAle

— Rutgers Men’s Basketball 🏀 (@RutgersMBB) February 1, 2026

The driving force behind Rutgers’ rally was junior guard Tariq Francis. He turned in his best offensive performance of the season. Francis finished with a game-high 26 points on 10-of-19 shooting, repeatedly attacking the basket and scoring at all three levels.

Sophomore forward Dylan Grant provided crucial support inside, recording a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Grant’s physical presence helped Rutgers survive a difficult opening half. And he and Francis combined for 18 of the team’s 30 first-half points as the Scarlet Knights struggled to establish offensive rhythm.

USC shot 55 percent from the field in the first half and carried a 40–30 lead into the locker room. Ezra Ausar led the Trojans with 21 points on 6-for-8 shooting while also pulling down nine rebounds. Jacob Cofie delivered a double-double with 15 points and 10 boards. And Chad Baker-Mazara added 17 points as USC built what appeared to be a comfortable advantage.

The Scarlet Knights outscored USC 45–38 in the second half and leaned heavily on their bench to fuel the comeback. Rutgers dominated reserve scoring by a 47–8 margin.

Freshman Harun Zrno provided valuable spacing by knocking down three three-pointers during the rally. Lino Mark also delivered a memorable moment in his return to Los Angeles, his hometown. After starting his collegiate career 0-for-18 from beyond the arc, Mark drilled his first two career three-pointers during the second-half surge, giving Rutgers timely momentum.

Rutgers’ Furious Second-Half Response

Rutgers also imposed its will on the offensive glass late, finishing with a 19–7 edge in second-chance points. Still, early struggles on the boards lingered. USC won the overall rebounding battle 40–33, a margin that loomed large as the clock wound down.

With the deficit trimmed to a single possession in the final seconds, Rutgers had a chance to tie the game and force overtime. A lost handle, however, led to a late USC steal that sealed the 78–75 result and ended the Scarlet Knights’ comeback attempt.

The defeat marked Rutgers’ fifth straight loss, the program’s longest losing streak since the 2020–21 season. Despite winning the turnover battle, the Scarlet Knights were again hurt by slow starts and early inefficiency.

Rutgers will stay in Los Angeles as its West Coast swing continues, facing UCLA on Tuesday, February 4. Tip-off is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET on the Big Ten Network, offering the Scarlet Knights another opportunity to turn a late-game fight into a full 40-minute performance.

---

---

Stay up to date on the Scarlet Knights by bookmarking  Rutgers On SI.