USC vs California live updates: Score, highlights, and analysis -

USC men’s basketball was able to fend off a tough challenge from Wichita State late Sunday night in Nevada. Now the Trojans stay on the road and go up to the San Francisco Bay Area. The Men of Troy are in Berkeley to play former Pac-12 foe California in a crucial early-season game. USC has to be able to win a game like this to ensure it gets into the NCAA Tournament and boosts its chances of grabbing a relatively high seed.

USC men’s basketball is viewed by many analysts as a team capable of making the Sweet 16 this season. The Trojans should make the NCAA Tournament, but that isn’t the goal this season. It is to win a couple of games and play on the second weekend of March Madness. USC has underachieved in the first two seasons of the Eric Musselman era. In order for the program to get back on schedule, merely reaching March Madness won’t be nearly enough to satisfy fan expectations or, for that matter, the standards presented by those who follow and evaluate the program for a living. Musselman was an Elite Eight coach at Arkansas. Getting close to that standard is and should be the expectation for USC this season. If this really is a Sweet 16-caliber team, it should be able to handle its business against the Golden Bears.

Follow along as we chronicle this late-night nonconference game with a strong Pac-12 flavor:

USC vs California live updates, analysis

Hit refresh for the latest updates from USC men’s basketball’s game against California in Berkeley at Haas Pavilion.

USC vs California injury updates

09:50 PM ET, November 11 2026

Eric Reibe and Christian Collins, two players expected to be core rotational pieces for USC and Eric Musselman, have not played in either of the Trojans’ first two games. They are expected to miss this game against Cal.

USC vs California predictions, betting odds

09:43 PM ET, November 11 2026

Odds via BetMGM.

USC 85, California 81. USC can score, but its defense remains a question mark. The Trojans’ main focus and goal is to win the game. From a pure betting perspective, Cal plus 8.5 looks attractive. The over seems like a better bet than the under.