By defeating Washington in a 92-61 blowout on Wednesday, USC set itself up to most likely make the Big Ten Tournament with one regular-season bout left on its schedule.

Fifteen of the 18 conference programs will qualify for the tournament in Indianapolis. The Trojans (15-15, 7-12 Big Ten) sit in 15th place in the Big Ten standings but have head-to-head wins over the bottom three teams, which could very well help USC edge them out.

The Trojans’ win over the Huskies (13-17, 4-15) was big for Big Ten standing purposes but even bigger for USC’s morale. The victory snapped USC’s five-game losing streak leading up to the team’s second Bruin battle.

The first matchup between USC and UCLA (21-9, 12-7) on Jan. 27 was topsy-turvy. The Trojans missed seven free throws in the second half alone, the root of their late collapse. The Bruins were without their leading scorer, junior forward Tyler Bilodeau, in the game, leading many to wonder if the 6-point Bruin win would’ve been more convincing had he suited up.

But on the topic of leading scorers, USC’s star guard, junior Desmond Claude, should appreciate the chance to make a better second impression against UCLA. Claude knew he’d need to rise up against the Bruins, but he only put up seven shot attempts from the field for 12 points and shot only 50% from the free-throw line.

Claude’s consistency has been questionable lately — he dropped a 25-point double-double against Washington after going 0-9 from the field against Oregon (22-8, 11-8) — and his leadership wasn’t truly present amid the team’s turbulent losing streak. Claude and Bilodeau will each be X factors on Saturday, as Bilodeau’s absence impacted the Bruins’ offensive flow in the first game, and Claude’s off night severely held the Trojans back.

While Claude has been USC’s top scorer this season, other players have stepped up more recently. Graduate guard Chibuzo Agbo has quietly strung together some efficient performances to help USC rise to fourth in the Big Ten in team 3-point percentage. He’s averaged over 18 points per game in his last three outings with 13 total 3-pointers and was the team’s leading scorer against Washington with 26 points.

“He shot the ball like an NBA player,” Head Coach Eric Musselman said of Agbo following the Washington win. “There’s just not a lot of players that can shoot that percentage with a defense draped over him.”

Redshirt freshman guard Wesley Yates III continues to show the world why his name could be on NBA draft boards in due time. A bit of a wild card heading into the season, he’s been everything Musselman would’ve wanted out of a first-year guard, especially given that graduate forward Terrance Williams II’s season-ending injury created a gaping hole in the offense.

Yates is a champion of consistency. When the team doesn’t play well, he keeps the Trojans in it, using his ability to score at all three levels to take control. Though Washington snapped his 17-game double-digit scoring streak, Yates feasted in the first meeting against the Bruins with flashy plays and offense-running abilities well beyond his years. He scored 19 points on 50% shooting, and a repeat performance could prove critical for the Trojans.  

USC had trouble stopping 7-foot-3 sophomore center Aday Mara in the first game, with graduate forward Rashaun Agee outsized and outmatched to the fullest extent. Agee’s offense however was a highlight as he led USC with 21 points against UCLA — and he hasn’t stopped putting on offensive showcases well over a month later. But his defense will be key against Mara, especially because USC’s 6-foot-10 graduate forward Josh Cohen has been essentially phased out of the team’s rotation.

For the Bruins, Bilodeau and sophomore guard Eric Dailey Jr. have gelled nicely despite both being first-year UCLA players. Dailey was a force against USC in the first matchup, scoring 16 points to lead the Bruins.

UCLA has seen mixed results since mid-February. The Bruins once rode a seven-game winning streak but have since failed to win consecutive games. UCLA has proved its resiliency at multiple points throughout the season, so a string of shaky games shouldn’t overshadow its overall success this season.

USC versus UCLA, even with a Big Ten twist, couldn’t get any more classic. While the Bruins vie for an at-large March Madness chance, the Trojans look to avenge the first battle and cement their place as a heavy underdog in the Big Ten tournament.

“We have one more game to play, and then hopefully, we’re still alive,” Musselman said. “We’re in year one … Nobody’s talking about us at all. Big Ten Network’s not talking about us; we have seven wins, and when you look at the win-loss column, we’re tied with some of the programs that have been around for a while in this league.”

Cardinal and gold clash with blue and gold Saturday at 5 p.m. at Pauley Pavilion.