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LOS ANGELES — Historically, before they find their rhythm, Eric Musselman’s teams have never quite stacked the deck.
For three consecutive years, when Musselman arrived in Fayetteville, Arkansas didn’t play a single top-25 team across their nonconference slate before diving into SEC play. That changed, into 2023-24, when the Razorbacks took on powers North Carolina, Duke and Oklahoma in November and December as part of a rough-and-tumble season.
But with Musselman’s return to Southern California roots this spring, and a roster carefully pieced together from transfer-portal remnants, he returned to a softer slate in the early months. That’s come in matchups and in travel, as USC hasn’t and won’t travel beyond Palm Desert for a single nonconference game this season.
“When you take the two games in Palm Springs, and 20 league games, and Cal, that’s a good enough strength of schedule,” Musselman said, after USC’s early November opener against Chattanooga.
The Trojans’ early-season slate, though, was as cushy a Musselman-led team has had in recent memory. And they bounced, quickly, to a 5-1 record, with four games against teams currently under .500.
Then they traveled two hours east to the desert, and came away thoroughly embarrassed.
USC’s 71-36 loss to Saint Mary’s on Thursday was the worst loss in program memory since Andy Enfield’s Trojans were smacked by TCU by 35 points in 2018. The underlying realities, too, were even uglier than the final score: USC shot 26% from the floor, went 0 for 12 from deep, recorded a total of six assists and were doubled in rebounding.
After a subsequent loss to New Mexico on Saturday, any fuzzy feelings from Musselman’s early tenure have quickly faded, with the Trojans sitting at 5-3 entering their Big Ten debut against 12th-ranked Oregon on Wednesday night.
With a roster of new faces, USC’s defensive identity still hasn’t clicked, and their offensive identity looks even more fragile. Entering conference play, here’s a breakdown of three key takeaways from the Trojans’ nonconference slate.
Who are the late-game closers?
USC’s roster was constructed on versatility, with Musselman often emphasizing that USC would turn smaller or bigger based upon game flow and style of opponent. But eight games in, it’s abundantly clear Musselman’s still tinkering, a development that suggests his program hasn’t yet found a consistent identity.
Twelve Trojans have seen stints, of one form or another, in Musselman’s rotation in this early part of the season. In an 83-73 loss to New Mexico that had ballooned to a 20-point deficit with six minutes to play, USC closed with freshman Isaiah Elohim and sophomore Kevin Patton Jr., both of whom had rarely played for extended stretches. Center Josh Cohen is USC’s top scorer through eight games, but wasn’t on the floor late against Cal and New Mexico.
It’s clear, at the moment, Musselman trusts USC’s wings to finish games more than relying on Cohen or another big. But precisely which wings, still, is yet to be determined.
More Saint Thomas
More does not mean more production. Through eight games, the Northern Colorado transfer is USC’s leader in rebounds, assists and steals, playing the kind of 6-foot-7 do-everything role Musselman saw early in his blend of ball-handling and physicality.
“When we got the commitment, we felt like he was going to have to carry a load,” Musselman said in early November.
But one key ingredient is missing: The fiery Thomas hasn’t been the go-to scorer he so often showed in exhibition games. He’s averaging just 8.3 points a game, shooting 37% from the floor and 25% from deep while often passing up shots in the flow of USC’s offense.
These Trojans desperately need shot creators. Thomas consistently taking 10-plus shots a game and finding a rhythm would go a long way.
Young Trojans in waiting
For long stretches in USC’s first few games, Washington transfer Wesley Yates III has looked like USC’s best player and completely unaware of the concept of shot selection, a maddening conundrum that saw him score in double figures for four straight games before falling in Musselman’s rotation.
“Wes has a great ability to score the ball, but he’s got a lot of things – as a lot of young players need to grow – and understand how to play with discipline on both ends of the floor,” Musselman said earlier in the year.
Elohim, a Sierra Canyon product, has gotten a few looks but little consistent run to establish himself as a scorer. Patton Jr., a San Diego import, has seen some opportunity since returning from injury. Freshman Jalen Shelley looked dynamic in a preseason scrimmage, but has barely played.
Musselman, thus far, has shown much more trust in his veteran transfers – keep an eye on the stock of USC’s youth quadrant.
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