A lot has shifted for USC men’s basketball. The Trojans are 12-1 and sixth in the Big Ten with their lone loss occurring against Washington earlier this month. But behind the impressive record lies a team battling through significant adversity.
Junior guard Rodney Rice is out for the season due to a shoulder injury he sustained at the Maui Invitational. The 6-foot-5 guard was one of the best transfers in the country through the first month of the season, averaging 20.3 points and six assists in six games.
On top of that, senior guard Amarion Dickerson, the team’s definitive sixth-man and defensive specialist will be out for three to four months with a right hip injury suffered in the win over Oregon. The former Robert Morris player was the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year last season, and it’s possible that he had a hand in the program finding its first-ever midseason addition – Kam Woods.
The Trojans added Woods, a former Robert Morris guard, to the roster just two weeks ago. The 6-foot-2 guard averaged 14.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game during the 2024-25 season, earning all-league honors. He is eligible to play immediately and provides necessary depth to a depleted backcourt.
USC is Woods’ sixth school in six years. The Alabama native began his college career at Troy University in the 2020-21 season, where he averaged 10.3 points per game as a freshman. He then transferred to Northwest Florida State College for the 2021-22 season before returning to Division I with North Carolina A&T in 2022-23, averaging 17.3 points per game. After that season, Woods moved on to NC State, his first high-major stop, where his role was limited, before landing at Robert Morris.
There is also growing optimism for Alijah Arenas’ return. He suffered a knee injury in July just weeks after making his practice debut. Last Friday, however, Arenas returned to practice for the first time.
“It feels great, I’ve been longing for it,” Arenas said. “I just gotta keep ramping it up, ramping up my communications, seeing everyone’s weaknesses and strengths, so I can learn and see what I can do for this team.”
The program seems to be weathering the storm after a near-perfect start to the season. No matter what has been thrown their way, whether injuries or other unforeseen circumstances, the Trojans never lacked for life on the court. That endless energy has helped power them to success.
Jumping into the AP Top 25 poll at No. 24 this week, the Trojans have a few days off before stepping into a brutal Big Ten slate in the new year.
The Trojans start that stretch with a span that includes three top-10 teams in No. 2 Michigan, No. 9 Michigan State, and No. 6 Purdue. Whether they can weather that stretch is still to be seen. USC will have to grind exceptionally hard to win those games and exceed the opposition from a playing-hard standpoint.
Players like graduate forward Chad Baker-Mazara and senior forward Ezra Ausar have proved that they can carry the load, but other members of the team will have to step up to help against a series of bruising frontcourts awaiting the Trojans.
Graduate guard Ryan Cornish proved he can step up when his name is called after he exploded for 18 points including four 3-pointers against UTSA. Woods brings veteran experience and scoring ability. If Arenas can return to game shape, that too would be a significant boost.
For now, USC continues to find ways to win despite the mounting challenges, a testament to the team’s depth and resilience as they prepare for the challenges ahead.