Reports: Ex-Maryland G Rodney Rice transferring to USC
Former Maryland guard Rodney Rice is transferring to Southern California, according to multiple reports on Tuesday.
Rice chose the Trojans over Tennessee.
USC didn't immediately release any news regarding Rice, but it did announce Tuesday that graduate transfer forward Keonte Jones has signed from nearby Cal State Northridge.
Rice averaged 13.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 36 games (32 starts) in his one season at Maryland. He helped the Terrapins reach the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
Maryland coach Kevin Willard took the Villanova post after the season but Rice apparently never strongly considered joining Willard. Also, reports said new Maryland coach Buzz Williams didn't attempt to get Rice to stay.
Rice began his career at Virginia Tech and played in just eight games in 2022-23 due to a broken ankle and a broken hand. He left the Hokies early in the 2023-24 campaign before moving on to Maryland in March 2024.
Meanwhile, Jones averaged 13.1 points, 9.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.3 blocked shots in 33 games last season for Cal State Northridge and was a first-team All-Big West selection.
In two seasons with the Matadors, Jones averaged 12.3 points and 7.9 rebounds in 67 games (64 starts).
"Keonte is a versatile player on both ends of the floor that plays with a tremendous competitive spirit," USC coach Eric Musselman said in the release. "He plays with incredible passion and will be a great asset to our program."
--Field Level Media
Field Level Media 2023 - All Rights Reserved
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
Ohio State men's hockey releases 2025-2026 nonconference schedule
The Ohio State men's hockey team surprised a lot of people with their unexpectedly high level of play this past season. The Buckeyes lost a lot of key players but found a way to plug in more talent and shock a lot of people by making it to the Big Ten Tournament Championship Game en route to a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Things didn't end all that well on the national scale in the postseason, but it was still an overachieving year in which OSU went 24-12-2 overall and finished third in the League with a 14-9-1 record. It was a fun season, one that it hopes it can build momentum off of and take it into this upcoming season. And while we won't know the Big Ten schedule until a future date, the program did announce its nonconference schedule this past week, so if you are an ice hockey fan, and one that loves to watch the Scarlet and Gray, you've got something to look forward to. All told, the Buckeyes will host five nonconference games and go on the road for another five. Here's how it all plays out prior to hitting the conference for Big Ten play: 2025-26 Ohio State Men's Hockey Oct. 10-11 – Northern MichiganOct. 17-18 – at UConnOct. 24-25 – Sacred Heart UniversityNov. 28-29 – at Arizona State UniversityJan. 2 – Bowling GreenJan. 3 – at Bowling Green It won't be an easy road for Ohio State -- it never is in the Big Ten -- but hopefully, the Buckeyes can win their fair share of these nonconference games to prepare for what's to come in conference and beyond. And while we are at it, the deadline to renew season tickets is 4 p.m. ET June 30, and new season ticket packages are available now. For more information or to view available seating options, go online or contact the Ohio State Athletics Ticket Office by calling 1-800-GOBUCKS or by emailing Other ticket options including groups, miniplans, and single games, will be available for purchase later this summer. Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
USC Makes Juju Watkins Announcement on Friday
USC Makes Juju Watkins Announcement on Friday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The USC Trojans women's basketball team had a memorable 2024-25 season, finishing 31-4 overall and going 16-1 in their first year of Big Ten play under head coach Lindsay Gottlieb. Advertisement USC reached the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament before falling to eventual national champion UConn. The Trojans ended the year ranked fifth in the final Associated Press poll. Despite the success, the season ended with a sense of what might have been. The team's top player, Juju Watkins, suffered a torn ACL in the second round of the tournament, cutting her sophomore campaign short. USC never got a shot at UConn at full strength. Watkins still finished as the fourth-leading scorer in the country. Since the season ended, the Trojans have shared some uplifting news. On Friday, USC announced that Watkins was one of three players named to the university's Spring 2025 Dean's List: "Congrats to Malia, JuJu & Laura on being named to the Spring 2025 Dean's List!" Watkins was recognized along with teammates Malia Samuels and Laura Williams for their academic achievements. According to the university, the Dean's List honors undergraduates who earn a high GPA (usually 3.5 or above) while enrolled full-time with at least 12 credits. Advertisement Watkins added to her list of accomplishments with a trophy-filled season. She won the 2025 John R. Wooden Award, the Dawn Staley Award, and was named both the Associated Press and Naismith College Player of the Year. She averaged 23.9 points per game over 33 contests. South California Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) © Stephanie Amador Blondet-Imagn Images Her freshman season was even more explosive. She led the nation with 27.1 points per game and pulled down 7.3 rebounds over 34 games. Watkins is represented by Klutch Sports Group and has a major NIL deal with Nike, along with several other endorsements, making her one of the highest-earning players in women's college basketball. As USC looks ahead to next season, Watkins' recovery will be a major storyline. But her academic and athletic excellence continues to set the standard for the program. Advertisement Related: Caitlin Clark Sends Clear Message to Lexie Hull in New Post on Wednesday Related: WNBA Star Sends Clear Caitlin Clark Message After Fever Loss This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
8 hours ago
- USA Today
WATCH: Ohio State incoming transfer Christoph Tilly is already balling in Columbus
The Ohio State basketball program went through an extreme makeover after the disappointing season last year. The Buckeyes kept the likes of Bruce Thornton, Devin Royal, and John Mobley Jr., but they lost others who were thought to be key pieces of the future when OSU got them prior. So, head coach Jake Diebler and the staff had to retool a bit and try to bring in the talent and pieces they thought could build momentum to get back to the NCAA Tournament this year and lay a foundation for getting the team back among one of the best in the Big Ten and country. One of those keys was to bring in a big man, but not just any big man. Today's game almost necessitates a guy who can go both inside and out for spacing on the floor and forced matchups from the other sideline. To do that, Ohio State went out and convinced former Santa Clara big man, Christop Tilly to come to Columbus out of the transfer portal. We've already heard from Dielber on what he brings to the table, but now we have some highlights of him balling out in some of the controlled scrimmages the OSU basketball team has been going through. By the looks of the video shared on the Ohio State Hoops "X" account, it sure feels like Tilly should provide Ohio State with some scoring, athleticism, and needed stretching of opposing Big Ten defenses next year. Take a look for yourself below. There's a lot of optimism in Columbus because of Tilly and the other pieces that have been brought in, but it all means absolutely nothing until the team shows what it can do on the floor when things tip off this winter. Let's hope what we're hearing from the coaches and players unfolds the way they -- and fans -- would like. Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.
