Overview
- No. 24 USC enters Saturday at 8-0 overall and 1-0 in Big Ten play, hosting Washington at 3 p.m. at the Galen Center on Big Ten Network.
- Freshman Alijah Arenas remains sidelined after meniscus surgery, with coach Eric Musselman targeting a mid-January return based on recent medical check-ins.
- Guard Rodney Rice is day-to-day with a shoulder injury and has recently sat out, while Amarion Dickerson’s status remains under evaluation after being hurt vs. Oregon.
- Musselman cites strong camaraderie and players’ pride in defined roles as USC navigates a short-handed rotation.
- Washington brings notable size led by 6-foot-11 freshman Hannes Steinbach, who is averaging 17.4 points and 12.2 rebounds and is coming off a 29-point game in a close loss to UCLA.