USC Men’s Basketball Is Set For Action In The Midwest Against No. 13 Illinois

Men’s Basketball | January 10, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – As the snow comes down in the Midwest, the USC Men’s Basketball team (9-6, 1-3 Big Ten) is prepping for another tough test as they take on No. 13 Illinois in Champaign, Illinois. This is the first time these two teams have played each other since Nov. 19, 2022, when the Illini took down the Trojans. Overall, USC is 6-3 all-time against Illinois.
 
LAST TIME OUT
USC kicked off their time in the Midwest at Indiana University, where they took on the Hoosiers at Assembly Hall. This game started in favor of the Trojans as they came out big with a 10-point lead. However, this tough Hoosier team battled back quickly, causing the game to be tied by halftime. From there, Indiana picked up the pace as they went on numerous runs to stay in the lead. By the end of the second half, the Trojans couldn’t make up the difference as they lost 82-69 to the Hoosiers.
 
Wesley Yates III and Desmond Claude led the Trojans for the second straight game as Yates III secured 18 points while Claude was close behind with 15 points. Saint Thomas and Chibuzo Agbo also contributed with double-digit points as they put up 11 points each.
 
SCOUTING THE ILLINI

• No. 13 Illinois is one of the best teams in the country, especially when it comes to rebounding. They are No. 1 in the NCAA when it comes to rebounds per game (45.9), rebound margin (+13.3) and defensive rebounds per game (32.5). Along with that, they rank highly when it comes to scoring as they are sixth in the NCAA in scoring (87.9 points per game) and scoring margin (+21.7).
• The Illini have only taken three losses this season as they fell to Northwestern in overtime, Tennessee at the buzzer, and Alabama.
• A big piece as to why the Illini are so good at grabbing boards is Tomislav Ivisic. The sophomore center is third in the Big Ten Conference in total rebounds with 135 and is also third in rebounds per game, averaging 9.0 a night. He is also second on the team in scoring,
• Illinois has five players who are averaging double-digit points this year, three of which have started all 15 games. Kasparas Jakucionis is the leading scorer for the Fighting Illini as he averages 16.4 points per game with Ivisic following up behind him with 13.1 points per game. Three other Illini also average double-digit points,…