Alijah Arenas’ Return Changes USC’s NCAA Tournament Outlook

Freshman guard Alijah Arenas is expected to make his highly anticipated USC Trojans debut on Wednesday, Jan. 21 against Northwestern, he announced on his Instagram earlier this week.

Arenas, a five-star recruit and the No. 10 overall prospect in the 2025 class, had a couple of setbacks that delayed the start of his collegiate career. He was in a fiery single-car crash on April 24 in which he was hospitalized and put into an induced coma. Arena made a full recovery but then suffered a torn meniscus at a USC practice in late July.

USC Trojans Injury Report Update Eric Musselman Alijah Arenas Debut Northwestern Wildcats Purdue Boilermakers Big Ten — Dec 21, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans guard Alijah Arenas (0) warms up prior to the game against the UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The 6-foot-6 guard is the son of former NBA All-Star guard Gilbert Arenas. He had a storied high school career, scoring 3,002 points, the most in Los Angeles City Section history and he did it in just three seasons. He reclassified from the 2026 to the 2025 class. Arenas is only the 15th player in state history to score 3,000 points in a career.

Arenas has a great length with his 7-foot wingspan, which shoulder help on the defensive end. His game is smooth, as a ball-handler and scorer. He shoots the ball with confidence and is aggressive attacking the rim.

Time will tell how long it takes for Arenas to fully get back to that place after two major setbacks. USC will likely ease Arenas back into action on Wednesday. He will be a key depth player for a team that has already lost guard Rodney Rice for the season. Rice underwent shoulder surgery in December.

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Forward Amarion Dickerson is expected to be out for at least the next couple of months, if not the rest of the season from a hip injury he suffered in early December. There’s no guarantee he returns at all this season.

USC added former Robert Morris point guard Kam Woods to the roster at the end of the fall semester. He made his debut against Michigan on Jan. 2. Woods is averaging 3.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists through five games with the Trojans.

Dartmouth transfer guard Ryan Cornish has been a part-time starter this season. So has freshman guard Jerry Easter, who missed the Trojans game against No. 5 Purdue on Saturday.

Arenas’ return comes at a perfect time with 13 conference games remaining and Trojans making a push for the NCAA Tournament.

Getting Back on Track Against Northwestern

The Trojans (14-4, 3-4) have lost three of its last five games to start their Big Ten slate this month.

They are coming off a tough five-point loss to Purdue at home. USC jumped out to a 22-8 lead midway through the first half but a 30-10 run by the Boilermakers gave them a six-point lead heading into the break.

It was a back-and-forth affair in the second half. USC trailed late by one point with less than 30 seconds and with an opportunity to take the lead. However, a steal and a layup by Purdue guard Braden Smith helped them edge Trojans 69-64. The Trojans were outscored 12-4 in the final three minutes.

USC struggled mightily at the line going 5 of 14. Junior guard Andrew Marsh was seen after the game back on the court to work on his free throws.

The Trojans will host Northwestern (8-10, 0-7 Big Ten) on Wednesday, Jan. 21 at the Galen Center to close out a three-game homestand. It will be the first time the Wildcats have made the trip to Los Angeles since 1999. Tip-off is slated for 8:00 p.m and will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.

Wednesday will be a great opportunity for USC to get back on track before facing a pair of tough opponents on the road in Wisconsin and Iowa.