After USC leading scorer Chad Baker-Mazara went down early in the second half with what appeared to be a knee injury, freshman Alijah Arenas knew what he needed to do. When Trojan starters Ezra Ausar and Jacob Cofie fouled out late in the second half, nothing changed. USC's game against Indiana (15-8, 6-6 Big Ten) Tuesday night at the Galen Center was close early.
Through 38 games, Porter has authored the kind of season coaches typically reward when ballots land on their desks. He entered the day 14th among qualified players in scoring at a career-high 25.6 points per game, fifth in the East, while handing out a career-best 3.2 assists. He ranks seventh in the NBA with 145 made 3-pointers, the most by any player through his first 38 games as a Net, and second in the league with 3.8 made 3s per game, trailing only Stephen Curry.
But as No. 8 Iowa climbed back in Thursday's third quarter, threatening to deal USC another disappointing result, Smith, the Trojans' sophomore leader, took matters into her own hands. She drove once, then again, then again. Four times in a matter of three minutes, Smith attacked the hoop, carrying the weight of USC's weeks-long slump on her shoulders as she did. When the Trojans' attack finally let up, they were well out in front again, rolling to an 81-69 victory.
The Richmond Spiders (16-4) will host the Duquesne Dukes (7-13) after winning five straight home games. On Sunday, in its last game, Richmond topped VCU 77-47. With 20 points, Rachel Ullstrom was its top scorer. Duquesne lost its most recent game to Saint Joseph's (PA), 72-53, on Saturday. Alexis Bordas starred with 13 points, plus two boards and zero assists.
Entering his rookie season, Johnson was pinned as a legit candidate to make a run for the NBA Rookie of the Year Award, especially following his showing throughout NBA Summer League. However, to start the season, the rookie has dealt with the adjustment of his new role on an NBA team, where he found himself bouncing in-and-out of the starting lineup as head coach BrianKeefe continously altered the team's rotation to start the season.
Although I wasn't initially high on his potential, Toronto definitely landed a promising prospect in Collin Murray-Boyles after selecting him ninth overall in the 2025 NBA Draft. While Collin Murray-Boyles may not match the level of Kon Knueppel or Derik Queen (another prospect I was initially low on during the pre-draft process), CMB's potential and unique skill set still provide valuable upside for Toronto.
There are very few role players who can open up the floor and create space like he can. The kind of scoring gravity he brings to the hardwood is just insane for a role player. Defenses will never ignore him because they know the range, quick shot release, and ability to catch fire that he carries with him. He often gets guarded like Stephen Curry because opposing teams know how quickly he can shift a game.
The Orlando Magic fought off the Miami Heat and secured a 106-105 win inside Kia Center Friday evening. Miami had to climb back from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit. They cut it to within three on three separate occasions, but Franz Wagner, who scored a game-high 32 points on 12-of-22 shooting, had a response each time. Bam Adebayo ultimately missed the game-winning jumper as time expired - a play that reeked of miscommunication between him and Norman Powell, who tallied a team-high 28 points.
So, how did a 40 percent shooter like Agbaji suddenly fall to an alarming 5.9 percent from three after 15 games in the 2025-26 season? The 25-year-old is just 1-for-17 from three and appears to be stuck in a frustrating slump that shows little sign of improvement. Agbaji is barely attempting any threes now, going from 4.0 attempts a game last year, to just 1.2 attempts.
Bilal Coulibaly entered the season with a lot to prove as a third-year man who's struggled to stay on the court long enough to prove why the Washington Wizards took a swing on his potential in the 2024 NBA Draft. As a former No. 7 overall pick, expectations were high for the French product entering the league, and as they should be considering the stock Washington invested in him when they opted to select him top 10.
