NBA Draft

Five-Star Freshman Leads USC to Conference Win Against Indiana

One of the nation's top prospects from the 2025 recruiting class had a breakout performance against Indiana on Tuesday night.
Randall Sweet|
Jan 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans guard Alijah Arenas (0) enters the court before the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Galen Center.
Jan 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans guard Alijah Arenas (0) enters the court before the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Galen Center. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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USC Trojans

The college basketball season is overway complete, and the race for NCAA Tournament seeding is picking up.

On Tuesday night, USC notched an important 81-75 win against Indiana, improving to 17-6 on the year. If the Trojans are able to continue playing well and maintain a good record down the stretch, Eric Musselman's team should have a solid chance at earning a March Madness berth.

Against the Hoosiers, USC was led by five-star freshman Alijah Arenas, who had a breakout performance in the victory. Arenas tallied 29 points, 6 rebounds, an assist, a steal, a block and just one turnover while shooting 9-of-23 from the field, 3-of-9 from 3-point range and 8-of-9 from the free throw line.

Arenas' new career high came in his fifth collegiate game after the highly touted recruit made his Trojans' debut on Jan. 21 against Northwestern. The son of three-time All-NBA honoree Gilbert Arenas, Alijah suffered a a torn meniscus in July and missed the first half of the 2025-26 campaign after undergoing surgery.

Arenas struggled in his first four games back from injury, averaging 7.5 points, 2 rebounds and an assist per game while shooting 28.6% from the field and 14.3% from beyond the arc. Against Indiana, though, the talented freshman began to showcase the skills that made him one of the top 10 recruits in the 2025 class.

Arenas' shot making in the midrange and from beyond the arc, as well as crafty finishing around the rim, ability to get to the free throw line and solid ball handling were all on display as the freshman was USC's leading scorer.

Even in a breakout performance, Arenas needs to improve his efficiency. After missing significant time due to injury and returning to the lineup late in the season, the talented guard's flashes are impressive.

Listed at 6-foot-6 and 199 pounds, Arenas has ideal size to compete at the next level, and has the scoring prowess to intrigue scouts.

In what has proven to be a loaded 2026 NBA Draft class that includes a number of coveted freshman, there is a strong chance that Arenas returns to college for the 2026-27 season. With a fully healthy offseason and an entire campaign, Arenas could be a premier prospect in the 2027 draft class.

Still, if Arenas continues to find his stride throughout the rest of this season, especially if USC earns a spot in the NCAA Tournament, the freshman could secure a position in the 2026 draft. Michael Porter Jr. appeared in just three games during his college career and was a lottery pick in the 2018 class.

Time will tell what path Arenas takes, but the former five-star has shown that he has the potential to be a lethal scorer.

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Randall Sweet
RANDALL SWEET

Randall Sweet is a 2022 Oklahoma University graduate who has formerly written for the Norman Transcript and OU Daily. Randall also serves as the Communications Coordinator at Visit OKC.

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