Chad Baker-Mazara hits 5 3s, scores 29; USC beats Wisconsin 73-71

By Canadian Press on January 25, 2026.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Chad Baker-Mazara made five 3-pointers and scored 29 points, Ezra Ausar added 17 points, and USC beat Wisconsin 73-71 on Sunday to snap the Badgers’ five-game win streak.

Jacob Cofie had 11 rebounds to go with nine points and five assists for USC (15-5, 4-5 Big Ten).

Nick Boyd hit a 3-pointer, made two free throws and added a layup to spark a 17-2 run that gave the Badgers a 58-46 lead with 12 minutes to play, but the Badgers made just 4 of 16 from the field the rest of the way. Baker-Mazara scored nine points — which included the final seven — in a 16-2 run over the next seven-plus minutes to take a two-point lead with 4:54 remaining.

John Blackwell made two free throws that tied it 65-all with 3:13 left, but Ausar made back-to-back baskets, Baker-Mazara scored in the lane, and Jerry Easter II hit two free throws with two seconds left that made it a four-point game.

Boyd made 10 of 17 from the field, hit 8 of 9 from the free-throw line, and led Wisconsin (14-6, 6-3) with 29 points. Nolan Winter added 12 points and Blackwell 11.

The Badgers shot 34% (23 of 67) overall and made 9 of 37 (24%) from behind the arc.

Up next

USC: The Trojans visit Iowa on Wednesday.

Wisconsin: The Badgers host Minnesota on Wednesday.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

The Associated Press