USC Trojans Receive Brutal Injury Update Involving Star Transfer Guard

USC Trojans star transfer guard Rodney Rice will undergo surgery on his shoulder injury and miss the remainder of the season. How big a loss is this for the Trojans, and what's next for USC moving forward?

Feb 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Eric Musselman reacts during the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans received crushing injury news regarding star guard Rodney Rice on Wednesday. The Maryland transfer guard, who suffered a right shoulder injury in USC’s 83-81 Maui Invitational semifinal win against Seton Hall, will undergo surgery, causing him to miss the remainder of the season.  

This is a brutal loss for the Trojans, as Rice, before suffering a shoulder injury, was a critical piece to USC’s offense as a starting guard. Rice played six games for the Trojans this season, which included the Maui Invitational game, where he suffered his shoulder injury.

Nov 14, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Southern California Trojans guard Rodney Rice (1) shoots a free throw during the first half of the Hall of Fame Series game against the Illinois State Redbirds at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

In those six games, Rice was one of the top scoring leaders for USC, alongside the other star Trojan guard, Chad Baker-Mazara. Rice averaged 20.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists, while shooting 41.1 percent from the field.  

Four out of six games that Rice played for USC featured him scoring 20-plus points. His season-high in scoring came in USC’s 70-67 win over Boise State to open the Maui Invitational on Nov. 24, where he scored 27 points, three assists, and one rebound on 11-of-21 shooting from the field, including knocking down four three pointers. 

How Does USC Move Forward Without Rice?

Nov 14, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Southern California Trojans guard Rodney Rice (1) dribbles the ball during the first half of the Hall of Fame Series game against the Illinois State Redbirds at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

With Rice now done for the year, the Trojans will have to continue to rely on the leadership of Baker-Mazara, who is off to a historic start to his USC career. The Auburn transfer guard has been phenomenal both on offense and defense, and his experience playing for the Tigers' 2025 Final Four team could benefit the Trojans to make a run in March.

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USC also looks to rely on several other guards on its roster, including Jerry Easter and Jordan Marsh. Rice isn’t the only significant loss for the Trojans at the guard position this season. Robert Morris transfer guard Amarion Dickerson is out for three to four months with a hip injury. 

Dickerson was named the 2024-25 Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year at Robert Morris, and the missing presence of his talent as a defender is a major blow to the Trojans' backcourt, along with Rice’s season-ending injury. 

Possible Debut Of Talented Freshman Guard

Nov 14, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Eric Musselman reacts during the second half of the Hall of Fame Series game against the Illinois State Redbirds at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Not all hope is lost for the Trojans, however, as USC could see the debut of talented five-star freshman guard Alijah Arenas sometime in January. Alijah, the son of former NBA star Gilbert Arenas, has battled through adversity over the last year, which has included being involved in a car accident in April and suffering a torn meniscus in July.

His addition to USC’s lineup would be a huge boost for the Trojans, as they will face the heat of Big Ten play in January. The Trojans currently have an 11-1 record, following a dominating 97-70 win over the UTSA Roadrunners on Wednesday night at the Galen Center, their best start since the 2021-22 season.