USC Basketball: Star Trojans Freshman Will Miss Multiple Weeks With Significant Injury

The Trojans will be at a loss with their star freshman sidelined for weeks.

The USC Trojans dropped a disappointing loss to Washington State on January 10. The team is currently banged up, and being short-handed had its effect on the overall play. Though USC kept the game competitive, they fell with a final score of 72-64.

A big reason why the team struggled had to do with upstart star freshman Isaiah Collier leaving early in the 1st half with an apparent hand injury. The injury looked to be significant then, as it kept him out of the rest of the game. 

Sadly, there is now an update on Collier, who will be sidelined for multiple weeks. 

Freshman PG Isaiah Collier is expected to miss the next 4-6 weeks due to a hand injury sustained in the game against Washington State on Wednesday.

— USC Men's Basketball (@USC_Hoops) January 12, 2024

Collier will now miss 4-6 weeks after the injury sustained to his hand. This is a huge blow to the offensive output of the Trojans. Collier has been averaging 15.4 PPG, and it's a big reason why the team was able to rebound in 2 of their last 3 games. 

The hope is that Collier can heal quickly, making his return happen within 4 weeks and not 6. 

The Trojans have a tough schedule ahead of them. They are set to take on Colorado on January 13 and follow that up with matchups against #8 ranked Arizona, Arizona State, UCLA, Oregon, Oregon State, Cal, Stanford, and more. 

If the Trojans want any shot at qualifying for the NCAA tournament, they will need some big wins under their belt. Doing so without Collier will be tough. 

This could open the door for Bronny James to get a more active role, even potentially being a starter. However, that will ultimately be up to team doctors clearing him for full play. 

James is still on a minute restriction after he suffered cardiac arrest in practice back in July. 

Collier's injury comes at the worst time for the Trojans. Boogie Ellis is also dealing with a nagging hamstring injury, and big man Joshua Morgan is out indefinitely with an upper respiratory infection. 

The starting five for USC will have to get inventive in their next game with who becomes a starter. The team will need to showcase their toughness by bringing in huge wins without some of their best players.