Alijah Arenas makes USC debut in loss vs. Northwestern

USC freshman guard Alijah Arenas was in the starting lineup for his long-awaited debut in Wednesday's 74-68 home loss against Northwestern.

Arenas showed obvious signs of rust, scoring eight points on 3-of-15 shooting in 29 minutes. He did show glimpses of his potential, giving the Trojans an early five-point advantage courtesy of a slick 360 layup.

Arenas underwent surgery after tearing his meniscus last summer. Early reports indicated the McDonald's All-American could miss the entire 2025-26 season, but he returned to practice in December.

He was also involved in a single-car crash last April and was placed into a medically induced coma due to smoke inhalation. Arenas spent six days in the hospital before getting released and didn't suffer any major injuries from the accident.

Arenas, a former five-star recruit, was the third-ranked shooting guard and No. 13 overall prospect on the 2025 ESPN 100. He's the son of three-time NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas.