LOS ANGELES — Chad Baker-Mazara’s hot hand gave the USC men’s basketball team the separation it needed to open the season on a two-game win streak.
The Trojans beat Manhattan 114-83 on Sunday afternoon, with Baker-Mazara scoring a career-high 26 points to lead the way. The Auburn transfer made all nine of his free throw attempts and pulled down an additional seven rebounds.
Head coach Eric Musselman subbed Baker-Mazara out with seven minutes remaining in the game, but the 6-foot-7 forward rushed toward his coach, frantically shrugging his arms and pleading to get back into the game to reach his personal milestone.
“Literally when he subbed me out, I look up, and I see 24,” Baker-Mazara said. “I’m like, coach, no. I need it. I need at least one more bucket. And he said, ‘Catch your breath.’ I really appreciate him for doing that. Sometimes, as a player, you want to beat your high.”
Jacob Cofie recorded his second straight double-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. Ezra Ausar chipped in 17 points and Rodney Rice had 14 points and six rebounds for USC (2-0).
It’s the most points that USC has scored since beating Arizona State 117-71 in 1998.
“It’s easy to buy in,” Musselman said. “The question is, can you get teams to stay in? I got on them at halftime. I didn’t think we played up to our standard, and they figured out a way.”
Manhattan (1-1) couldn’t replicate the offensive efforts of its season-opening, 125-59 win over St. Joseph’s. Jaden Winston contributed a game-high 29 points and Terrance Jones added 18 points.
Baker-Mazara, who was born in the Dominican Republic, hit back-to-back 3-pointers to give USC a 28-23 advantage with 7:45 remaining in the opening half. Jacob Cofie made a jump shot over a ducked-down Gabe Dynes to put the Trojans on an 8-0 scoring run.
Baker-Mazara’s shooting was much improved from USC’s last game, when he was 2-for-10 on field goals and 2-for-8 from 3-point range.
USC’s defense pressed and forced Manhattan to the perimeter in the first half, but the Jaspers were able to drive to the basket enough times to tie the game at 14-all with 11:53 on the clock.
Musselman deployed 7-foot-4 center Gabe Dynes in an attempt to neutralize Manhattan’s presence in the paint. Dynes blocked two shots and pulled down three rebounds, but came out of the game roughly midway through the half when he reached three personal fouls.
“We’re trying to figure out continuity on what works, what doesn’t work,” Musselman said. “We found out that smaller guards can bother us with their ability to get to the basket. So we’ve got to defend without fouling. We might have to give players like that a little bit more cushion.”
The Trojans added a 9-0 scoring run in the last five minutes of the half while holding the Jaspers scoreless for a stretch of two minutes and 30 seconds.
“We didn’t mess around with the game,” Musselman said. “That’s one of the things we talk about — you’re supposed to play every possession. If you play every possession, then you hope that the outcome is like it is tonight.”
Ausar was having fun scoring on two turnaround jumpers, while Musselman began pulling starters with less than 10 minutes remaining in the game. USC still maintained a sizable lead and outscored Manhattan 59-46 in the second half to lock in the win.
“That’s me every day, for real,” Ausar said. “Even in practice. I’m excited just to play, just to play with my boys. I ain’t even thinking about nothing else but just winning at the time.”
Baker-Mazara was in foul trouble for the second half, but was in the game just long enough to reach a new career-high in points.
USC stays in Los Angeles but switches venues for its next game, moving to Intuit Dome for a 4:30 tip against Illinois on Friday as part of the Experian Hall of Fame Series.
