USC basketball star abruptly leaves program as season nears end

Chad Baker-Mazara, a top scorer on the USC Trojans’ men’s basketball team, abruptly exited the program on Sunday, the school announced.

Baker-Mazara was the team’s second-leading scorer and started 22 of the Trojans’ 26 games. He had 14 points in an 82-67 loss to No. 12 Nebraska on Saturday. He only played three of his 19 minutes in the second half after going down hard on the baseline.

USC didn’t give a reason for his departure.

“We have nothing additional to add at this time,” team spokesperson Kristen Keller told The Associated Press.

Trojans head coach Eric Musselman was asked about Baker-Mazara’s health status after the player left the game.

“He said he couldn’t go,” Musselman told reporters, adding that he didn’t speak to a trainer about Baker-Mazara’s status.

Baker-Mazara, 26, was a graduate student from the Dominican Republic. He was the MVP of the Maui Invitational when the team played in Hawaii earlier in the season.

USC was Baker-Mazara’s fifth school. He started his collegiate career at Duquesne before transferring to San Diego State and later Northwest Florida State College and Auburn before he ended up at USC. He was the Sixth Man of the Year in the Mountain West Conference when he played for the Aztecs and was All-SEC when he was with the Tigers.

He was averaging 18.5 points and 4.2 rebounds in 26 games for USC this season.

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USC is 18-11 this season with two more games left on the schedule before the Big Ten Tournament, which begins March 10.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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