Rutgers can start booking its tickets to Indianapolis. The Scarlet Knights practically punched their tickets to the Big Ten Tournament on Sunday, when they defeated USC, 95-85, in Piscataway. They led for the final 22 minutes of a mostly-comfortable victory — a rarity in what has been a calamity of a campaign.

Rutgers basketball hasn't locked up a spot in the Big Ten Tournament, but beating USC put it in a good spot to hope for a miracle run.

Even as the Trojans have tailed off in recent weeks, the silver lining has been that at least USC would have the Big Ten Tournament as an opportunity to make one final desperation push at March Madness. After Sunday's loss at Rutgers, however—the Trojans' fifth defeat in their past six games—even that appears to potentially be in jeopardy.