illinois vs usc: No. 10 Illini rout USC 101-65 as Illini steamroll through LA swing opener
Wednesday night (ET) in Los Angeles, No. 10 Illinois delivered a statement win, dismantling USC 101-65 in the opener of its LA swing. The Illini imposed their will across the floor — piling up rebounds, forcing turnovers and finishing in transition — while USC struggled through illness and a rare defensive collapse.
Illini push pace, convert transition opportunities
Illinois opened the game intent on turning defense into offense. The Illini repeatedly turned stops into fast breaks, culminating in a highlight moment when Andrej Stojakovic finished a transition opportunity with a thunderous slam that extended the lead and punctuated Illinois’ early control. Later, big man Tomislav Ivisic threw down an alley-oop in the final minute that pushed Illinois into triple digits and underscored the Illini’s depth and finishing ability.
The transition game was not a fluke: Illinois maintained pressure all night, capitalizing on USC miscues and poor shot selection to build and sustain a large margin. The Illini’s aggressive approach fed a 41-rebound advantage and allowed them to repeatedly get out in front before USC could recover defensively.
USC's roster issues and glaring defensive lapses
USC entered the matchup with lingering concerns; star freshman Alijah Arenas battled an illness and was questionable until a few hours before tipoff. He chose to play but was clearly below full strength, finishing with eight points in 18 minutes before needing extended rests and eventually exiting midway through the first half. His absence of usual explosiveness left USC without its primary playmaker and scorer at a critical time.
That lack of punch compounded a night of defensive woes for the Trojans. USC surrendered 101 points — the program’s first game allowing triple digits since 2019 — and was outrebounded 41-30. The Trojans managed just a single fast-break point and shot a meager 25% inside the arc, struggling to score against Illinois’ length and activity. Jacob Cofie led USC with 14 points, while Ezra Ausar chipped in 11, but no other Trojan reached double figures.
Coach Eric Musselman framed the loss bluntly, leaving no doubt it will force internal evaluation as USC tries to preserve its NCAA hopes down the stretch. With the Trojans sitting 18-8 overall and 7-8 in conference play, the defeat piles pressure on a team clinging to the tournament bubble and facing a tough closing slate.
What the result means for both teams
For Illinois, the win (moving the Illini to 22-5, 13-3 in conference play) is a strong validation of its top-10 billing and a momentum-builder for the road swing. The victory showed the roster’s ability to execute both on the glass and in transition, and highlighted the kind of depth plays — like Stojakovic’s fast-break finish and Ivisic’s alley-oop — that can wear opponents down over 40 minutes.
For USC, the lopsided loss is a wake-up call. Beyond the immediate injury and illness concerns, the Trojans must shore up fundamentals: rebounding, interior defense and generating offense without overreliance on a single healthy star. With five regular-season games left, including winnable matchups and a pair against a nearby rival, USC’s postseason trajectory now rests on rapid correction and consistency.
The Illini’s authoritative performance in the LA opener sent a clear message: when they run and finish, they are a difficult team to stop. For USC, the task is equally clear — regroup quickly and address the breakdowns that allowed a top-10 opponent to race to 101 points on their home floor.
