Biggest Takeaways From USC's Road Loss To Michigan

The No. 2 Michigan Wolverines dominated the No. 24 USC Trojans 96-66 on Friday night at the Crisler Center. With the loss, USC falls to 12-2 on the season.

USC head coach Eric Musselman reacts to a play against Michigan during the first half at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The No. 24 USC Trojans faced off against the No. 2 Michigan Wolverines at the Crisler Center in their first game of a three-game Big Ten road trip. The Wolverines kept their undefeated record alive as they dominated the Trojans from start to finish, winning 96-66.

With the loss, the Trojans fall to 12-2 on the season and 1-2 in Big Ten play. Going up against arguably one of the best teams in college basketball this season, many were intrigued going in to see how coach Eric Museelman’s group would match up against the national title favorite, the Wolverines.

Jan 2, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Southern California Trojans forward Jaden Brownell (33) is defended by Michigan Wolverines guard Trey McKenney (1) in the second half at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

USC forward Jaden Brownell led the Trojans in scoring in the loss, scoring 16 points off the bench on 6-of-10 shooting from the field in what was an offensive struggle for Musselman's team. Here are three major takeaways from the Trojans' crushing loss to the Wolverines.

Turnovers and Poor Rebounding Plague USC From the Start

Michigan guard Elliot Cadeau (3) battles for the ball against USC forward Jaden Brownell (33) and forward Terrance Williams II (5) during the first half at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The best way that the Trojans were going to pull off the major upset over the Wolverines on the road was by starting fast. From the opening tip, turnovers and poor rebounding prevented the Trojans from getting into an offensive rhythm. USC’s first points of the game didn’t come until 13:19 to play in the first half. 

MORE: Lincoln Riley's Blunt Response About D'Anton Lynn's Absence In Alamo Bowl Loss 

MORE: Biggest Offseason Questions For Lincoln Riley, USC Trojans 

MORE: USC's Lincoln Riley Reveals Confidence In Finding New Defensive Coordinator 

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER HERE! 

USC recorded 12 first-half turnovers and finished the game with 21. The Trojans' offense struggled, shooting 34 percent from the field and 22 percent from three-point range, with much of their struggles resulting from Michigan’s excellent defense. 

Chad Baker Mazara Getting In Foul Trouble Early Hurt USC Offensively 

Jan 2, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines guard Nimari Burnett (4) dribbles defended by Southern California Trojans forward Chad Baker-Mazara (4) in the first half at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

USC guard Chad Baker-Mazara, who has shown great leadership to start the season, was looking to make a statement on the road by leading the Trojans to an upset win. With the Trojans cutting the Wolverines' lead to as low as five midway through the first half, Baker-Mazara started to get in foul trouble, which hurt the Trojans offensively. 

At halftime, with the Trojans trailing by 18 points, Baker-Mazara had four fouls, which caused him to sit out a majority of the first half. Without their team leader, the Trojans had to rely on other players to make an impact, including forward Ezra Ausar, which proved not enough against the Wolverines. 

Baker Mazara finished the loss to Michigan with 12 points, two assists, and one block on 3-of-11 shooting from the field. Baker-Mazara also struggled to take care of the basketball, as he had five turnovers in the game, the most by a USC player in the loss to Michigan.

Michigan Continues to Dominate  

Jan 2, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) shoots in the first half against the Southern California Trojans at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

With Friday night’s dominating win over USC, Michigan made history, becoming the first team in the AP Poll to win three straight games against ranked opponents by over 30 points. The other two wins came against the No. 7 Gonzaga and previously ranked No. 21 Auburn.

It's not just against ranked teams that the Wolverines are asserting their dominance; Michigan has beaten its opponents by double digits in all but two games this season. The two wins that didn’t come by double digits came against TCU and Wake Forest to begin the season. Since then, the Wolverines have been on a tear. 

Many believe that Michigan should be ranked No. 1 over Arizona because of its recent success. The dominating win over USC was another strong case for the Trojans to be ranked No. 1 in the country. Five players scored in double figures for Michigan in the win over USC, four of whom came off the bench. Morez Johnson Jr. led the Wolverines in scoring with a career-high 29 points, six rebounds, and two assists on 10-of-12 shooting from the field. 

What’s Next For USC?

After falling to the Wolverines, USC will next travel 65 miles up the road to face off against the No. 9 Michigan State Spartans on Monday, another top team in the Big Ten. The tip-off from the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan, is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. PT with the game broadcast on FS1.