USC Men's Basketball Arenas Named Big Ten Player of the Week

No. 21 USC Trojans Men's basketball have begun their 2026-27 season a perfect 2-0 following a hard-fought 93-86 win over the Wichita State Shockers on Sunday in the Inaugural Caesars Lake Tahoe Classic. 

With the fog cleared up, the Big Ten conference announced on Monday that sophomore guard Alijah Arenas was named Big Ten Player of the Week — his first time being presented the honor in his collegiate career. 

In the Trojans' first two games this season, Arenas has been a standout on both sides of the floor. He capped off his week with a much-needed performance against a proficient Wichita State squad. 

Arenas left Lake Tahoe scoring 30 points — second behind leading scorer Rodney Rice's 32 points — on 9-for-18 shooting and shot 85% from the free-throw line (12-for-14). 

His 18 points in the first half against the Shockers helped propel the Trojans to their eventual comeback after being down as much as 11 points. 

He started the season off on the right foot against the Milwaukee Panthers on Nov. 2 at the Galen Center. Arenas had the most effective shooting night of his collegiate career, shooting 9-for-14 from the floor and setting a career high with eight rebounds and 20 points. 

Through the last two games, Arenas is averaging 25.5 points per game — ranking him No. 15 in the nation — and his 18 made field goals rank No. 33 in all of men's college basketball.

This accolade is even more impressive when you add in the implications of how Arenas started his college career at USC. He missed the first 18 games of the 2025-26 season while recovering from a torn meniscus, but he started the final 13 of 14 games that season. 

He capped off that season scoring in double figures in five consecutive games and earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors after scoring a then-career-high 29 points against the Indiana Hoosiers on Feb. 3. 

Head Coach Eric Musselman said at the beginning of the season that both Rice, Arenas, and junior Jacob Cofie, will be the anchors of this year's Trojans squad, especially with the influx of transfers and new blood coming in recruiting-wise.

Looking ahead, the Trojans will finish off their two-game road trip with a drive up north to play a former Pac-12 rival, the California Golden Bears. USC will then travel back home on Nov. 15 after an almost two and a half week absence from the Galen Center.