Chad Baker-Mazara leaves USC in final week as Trojans try to snap losing skid, make NCAA tournament push

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Chad Baker-Mazara’s time with USC is now over.

The Trojans announced on Sunday afternoon that Baker-Mazara was no longer with the program, marking a stunning development for the program as it enters the final stretch of the regular season and the Big Ten tournament.

Further specifics on his departure are not yet known.

Baker-Mazara transferred into USC this season. The former Auburn star has averaged 18.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game this season with the Trojans, all of which have been career highs. He's USC's leading scorer, and was the Maui Invitational MVP back in November after leading the Trojans to a win in that marquee tournament in Hawaii.

Baker-Mazara played just 19 minutes in the team's 82-67 loss to No. 12 Nebraska on Saturday. He went down with an apparent leg injury early in the second half, and did not return. 

USC has two games left in the regular season, first at Washington and then against UCLA on Saturday. The Trojans have lost five straight and sit at 18-11 on the year, and have significant work to do in order to make it into the NCAA tournament.

While a strong finish this week and a run in the Big Ten tournament could have helped significantly there, the Trojans will now have to find a way to do that without Baker-Mazara around.

This post will be updated with more information shortly.