Southern California head coach Eric Musselman reacts to a foul call during the second half against the UCLA Bruins at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial on Feb 24, 2026.
USC men’s basketball suffered another loss in Big Ten conference play against Washington on Wednesday. The Trojans lost by a score of 91-72 and are now even more likely to miss out on the NCAA Tournament this season.
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Before losing to Washington on Wednesday, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi updated his “2026 NCAA Tournament Bracketology” for men’s basketball. He already had USC listed as one of eight teams right on the outskirts of earning a tournament bid.
As of Tuesday, Lunardi had Auburn, San Diego State, VCU and Virginia Tech as the first four teams that will miss the cut off for the NCAA Tournament. Behind the four teams was USC, which ranks No. 73 on Lunardi’s list and is projected to be the fifth team to miss out on the tournament.
Now that USC has lost another game, the Trojans’ odds of making the NCAA Tournament have nearly disappeared. And even if USC makes the tournament, the Trojans will not be placed at a desirable seed.
USC has one more regular season game against crosstown rivals, UCLA, on Saturday. The Bruins are coming off a third victory over a top-10 opponent after defeating No. 9 Nebraska on Tuesday. Therefore, it is unlikely the Trojans will end the regular season with a win.
Feb 24, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California head coach Eric Musselman reacts to a foul call during the second half against the UCLA Bruins at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
Trojans Might Be Able to Earn A Bid Depending on Performance in Big Ten Tournament
Fortunately for USC, the Big Ten is stacked with some of the top men’s basketball teams in the nation. Five Big Ten teams are currently ranked in the AP Top 25.
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This means the Trojans still have a slim chance of making the NCAA Tournament if they can pull off upsets over some of these teams. If USC can take down a team like No. 3 Michigan, No. 8 Michigan State or No. 9 Nebraska, the selection committee may consider reevaluating the Trojans for the tournament.
The official bracket for the Big Ten Tournament will be announced on Sunday.
Photo Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
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