illinois vs usc: Illinois routs USC 101-65 as Trojans unravel at home
Illinois cruised to a 101-65 victory over USC on Wednesday night (ET), turning what many expected to be a competitive showdown into a lopsided rout. The Illini’s balanced attack and physical edge overwhelmed a Trojan squad that looked short on energy, health and execution.
Illini steamroll early; Trojans never recover
From the opening minutes, Illinois imposed its will on both ends of the floor. The visitors dominated the glass, out-rebounding USC 41-30, and methodically stretched the lead until the scoreboard read triple digits late in the second half. Illinois' bigs and role players repeatedly punished USC inside, and an emphatic alley-oop dunk in the final minute pushed the Illini past 100 points to seal the rout.
USC never found its rhythm. The Trojans managed only a single fast-break point and shot a dismal 25% from inside the arc. Offense dried up beyond the struggles of one sidelined star: the team’s freshman spark plug had been ill for days but insisted on playing. He mustered just eight points in 18 minutes and exited midway through the first half after a brief knee scare, and USC’s supporting cast could not pick up the slack.
USC’s depth, health and execution exposed
Coach Eric Musselman was blunt after the loss: the Trojans were simply “not good enough tonight, ” and the performance was one that should prompt internal reflection across the program. Jacob Cofie led USC with 14 points, and Ezra Ausar added 11, but no other Trojan reached double digits. That imbalance underscored the night’s larger failures — poor interior shooting, lack of second-chance opportunities and an inability to generate transition offense.
Illini freshman Keaton Wagler, held in check more than usual, still contributed 10 points and four assists, but Illinois didn’t need a single star to carry the load. The roster-wide effort, especially on the offensive glass and in halfcourt execution, rendered the Trojans’ ailments moot as the Illini steadily increased their margin of victory in front of a boisterous crowd.
Implications for USC’s postseason and the stretch run
The loss is the largest margin of defeat for USC in two seasons under Musselman and marks the program’s first game giving up 100-plus points since 2019. It arrives at a precarious moment: USC sits at 18-8 overall and 7-8 in conference play with five regular-season games remaining. Those meetings include a limited slate of top opponents and two contests against their struggling in-city rival, leaving little margin for error as the tournament picture tightens.
Beyond seeding and bubble chatter, the game highlighted tangible areas for correction. Rebounding and interior defense must improve, and the team needs more reliable secondary scorers when its primary playmaker is unavailable or hampered by illness. The coaching staff will be under pressure to adjust lineups and game plans quickly; the next five games will tell whether this loss was an outlier or the start of a steeper slide.
For Illinois, the road win reinforces a top-10 résumé and momentum as the season heads into its final stretch. For USC, it is a sobering reminder that health, depth and discipline are as crucial as talent — especially when NCAA tournament hopes hang in the balance.
