USC (14-11, 6-8) vs. Maryland (20-6, 10-5)
When & Where: Feb. 20, 2025 | 8:30 PM | Xfinity Center | FS1
TV: FS1 | Brandon Gaudin (pxp), Phil Martelli (analyst)
Radio: Johnny Holliday, Chris Knoche, Walt Williams
Betting: Maryland -10.5 | O/U: 152.5 (DraftKings)
Maryland men’s basketball will look to stay hot with a chance at a fourth consecutive win, both on the season and against their next opponent.
Maryland welcomes USC to town with the Terps winners in all three of the matchups in the series, but it’s been 25 years since the two teams have squared off as Thursday marks the first matchup as Big Ten foes. It also marks Willard’s first time coaching against USC.
After upsetting then seventh-ranked Michigan State, 70-64, at home, the Trojans enter Thursday's meeting losers in three of their last four games and just three games above .500 in head coach Eric Musselman's first season with the team. USC is also 2-3 against ranked opponents and 3-5 away from home this season
Four of five of the Trojans' starters average double figures with junior guard Desmond Claude leading the way with 16 points on 50% shooting. Claude also sits top ten in the conference in assists, but he isn't alone with Saint Thomas also averaging a team-high 4.3 assists to go with his 10.1 points and six rebounds per game.
Wesley Yates has been a spark for the Trojans through February where he's averaging 18.2 points per game while shooting nearly 47% from the field, becoming the lone Trojan to earn weekly conference honors so far this season.
Chibuzo Agbo is the fourth starter averaging double figures with 12.1 points per game with two made threes per game. Josh Cohen, a brief former portal target, rounds out the expected starting five as he registered his 800th career rebound in Tuesday's loss vs. Penn State.
USC is 13-5 when scoring 70 or more points this season, a threshold Maryland has allowed from their opponents each game through February. But for a USC team that struggles on the boards, averaging less than 32 per game, and has lost ten of their 15 games they’ve been outrebounded this season, all eyes could be on the frontcourt with the Terps looking to set the tempo in what hopes to be a packed Xfinity Center.
Maryland is in the midst of a three-game homestand before welcoming Michigan State to College Park next week. Maryland has won 12 consecutive at home and stands 15-1 at Xfinity as only St. John’s and Missouri (16) have more this season.
The Terps remained inside the AP top 25 for the third consecutive week, climbing to 20th after taking down Nebraska on the road then dominating Iowa at home.
In the days since Sunday’s win, Maryland launched ‘Crab Five’ merchandise with proceeds directed to support men’s basketball’s NIL collective. Derik Queen averages 16 points to lead a starting five averaging just shy of 70 points, the most of any starting five nationally.
Related Links
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Follow us on Instagram
Follow us on YouTube