USC Men's Basketball Weathers The Desert With 67-61 Win Over GCU

Saturday, October 25

Phoenix, Ariz.

6:30 p.m.

USC

Grand Canyon

Jerry Easter II dribbling past a GCU player

USC Men's Basketball Weathers The Desert With 67-61 Win Over GCU

October 25, 2025 | Men's Basketball

Box Score (PDF)

The Trojans won both of their exhibitions heading into the regular season on Nov. 3.

PHOENIX – USC Men's Basketball pushed past the Grand Canyon Lopes to emerge with a 67-61 win in its second exhibition game Saturday, Oct. 25, in Global Credit Union Arena.

The Trojan win featured seven dunks from four different Trojans. Graduate student Chad Baker-Mazara put up a team-high 15 points, while freshman guard Jerry Easter II notched a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Senior forward Ezra Ausar and junior center Gabe Dynes also added double figures. Overall, USC shot 41 percent from the field to Grand Canyon's 34 percent, with 36 points coming from inside the paint.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Trojans got on the board first with an explosive 6-0 run, sparked by a putback dunk from sophomore forward Jacob Cofie. After Grand Canyon converted a three-point play, USC powered up offensively to carve a double-digit advantage by the 14-minute mark. Graduate forward Jaden Brownell hit a triple and Easter dropped one in from the charity stripe to grow the lead even more, with the score sitting at 22-9. Once the Lopes ended their field-goal scoring drought, they rallied with an unanswered 11 points to make it 22-20. USC racked up fouls to give Grand Canyon a couple of free throws, resulting in the Lopes grabbing their first lead at 23-22 with just under seven minutes to play. Despite their opponent's surge, USC kept it even with Easter's fearless drive in transition and another Brownell bucket from beyond the arc. The Lopes kept pace with the Trojans as the score was tied 37-37 heading into halftime.

Grand Canyon struck first after the break, but it didn't last long. A dunk from Dynes before Baker-Mazara scored the Trojans' next eight points pushed USC ahead 47-40. Ausar would slam it home while Easter nailed a mid-range jumper to regain a double-digit lead at the nine-minute mark. Dynes then banked a big-time three to deflate the Lopes' hopes and keep them out of reach. But with less than three minutes to go, Grand Canyon found a scoring groove, putting up five consecutive points to get within two. With a layup from Amarion Dickerson and a breakaway dunk from Easter, the Trojans held off the Lopes to earn the 67-61 victory.

NOTABLES

Tonight's starting lineup features Jerry Easter II, Chad Baker-Mazara, Terrance Williams II, Jacob Cofie, and Ezra Ausar. This is the first start for newcomers Easter and Baker-Mazara.
This is the first meeting between USC and Grand Canyon in program history.
Chad Baker-Mazara was the first Trojan to hit double-digit points against the Lopes. He led all players on the court with 15 points.
Jerry Easter II anchored the defense with 11 rebounds and 3 steals, holding the Lopes to 34 percent from the field. He also registered 10 points to secure a double-double.
Gabe Dynes showed up again for the Trojans. He finished his time in Phoenix with 13 points, shooting at 75 percent from the field. He also added seven rebounds and two blocks.
Ezra Ausar shot at a 100 percent clip, making all four of the shots he attempted. This also resulted in Ausar notching 10 points against Grand Canyon.

QUOTABLES
Coach Eric Musselman on who played well tonight…
"I thought we had a lot of guys play well. We're still trying to figure out who we are, still trying to figure out roles. I thought Jacob Cofie, although I took him out probably six minutes into the second half, played well. I should have brought him back in. I thought Gabe Dynes in both games was unbelievable. Jerry's learning on the job. He missed two huge free throws and then he comes back and does a great job picking up a steal at half-court. We knew from an offensive standpoint, without Alijah and Rodney, that we'll have to figure it out. There are not many teams in the country that could have two talented offensive players who did not play. We went through stretches that were really good. The really good thing is that at the start of both games, we were awesome defensively. And then we get a little tired. We have to get in better shape for sure."

Coach Eric Musselman on Chad Baker-Mazara's performance…
"I'm sure he was tired. He probably didn't think he was going to take 21 shots, but I wanted the ball in his hands with his ability. He's a great passer. I think the most underrated part of Chad's game is his passing."

Jerry Easter II on his defensive performance…
"Coach Musselman always says just attack the glass. He always wants us to hit the boards just in case, because you never know what could happen. Thanks to our bigs for boxing out, and I just went in there to get a rebound. I was trying to play hard to do anything I could to win."

Chad Baker-Mazara on getting ready for their first home game…
"We just go back to the lab, clean up some stuff that we have to do offensively and defensively, and keep talking to the guys. Telling the ones that didn't play much to keep their heads up and their time is going to come, and to just keep listening to the coaches and get ready for our first comment."

UP NEXT
The Trojans will officially kick off the 2025-26 season on Monday, Nov. 3, inside the Galen Center as they face the Cal Poly Mustangs. Tipoff will be at 6:30 p.m. on BTN+ and on the radio on the USC Game Day app.