USC basketball’s first season in the Big Ten had plenty of trials and tribulations, but the Trojans eventually carved out a solid first year under Eric Musselman. It included an impressive home win against eventual Big Ten champion Michigan State. The Trojans will have plenty of new faces again in 2025-26. After the graduations of more than six players and the surprise transfer of Desmond Claude, USC had to make a hard reset for this season.
The Trojans were able to bring in quite a powerful group of transfers along with incoming freshmen, but a massive offseason injury has one of those playmakers in a tough spot. Let’s take a closer look at the Trojans.
USC Basketball 2025-26 Preview: Trojans Have Something to Prove
Roster Makeup
The Trojans made great use of the portal as they were able to grab Jacob Cofie from Virginia. Cofie brings great experience, and at 6-foot-10, he’s going to give USC a much-needed presence. He isn’t alone, as the Trojans were also able to attract point guard transfer Rodney Rice (Maryland) and bring in one of the most experienced players available in Chad Baker-Mazara from Auburn, who has been playing ball since the 2020-21 season.
USC had hoped to watch NBA legend Gilbert Arenas‘ son, Alijah, star for the team this season. However, an offseason car accident has Arenas sidelined for the foreseeable future. Thus, the Trojans will have to rely on other guards like Jordan Marsh and another freshman, Jerry Easter II. One thing is for sure: USC basketball doesn’t lack depth and experience.
Terrance Williams II was a reliable rebounder at Michigan before transferring to USC last season. An injury kept him limited to just seven games in 2024-25. If Musselman can get Williams going, he should have an impactful role for the Trojans this season. Ezra Ausar brings another tough scoring forward to the table as well, as he will look to continue building on a strong season at Utah last year.
Rest of the Team
Amarion Dickerson (transfer from Robert Morris) brings impressive defensive prowess, as the reigning Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year. Gabe Dynes (transfer from Youngstown State) is a massive rim protector at 7-foot-3 and has averaged around three blocks per game in two seasons. He was also named to the Horizon League’s All-Defensive Team last season. Ryan Cornish (transfer from Dartmouth) was All-Ivy League in 2024-25 while averaging 17.1 points per game.
EJ Neal Jr (Transfer from Sacramento State)
Jaden Brownell (Transfer from Samford)
Patrick O’Brien (Freshman)
Brit Burden (Sophomore)
Jonah Goorin (Sophomore)
Big season ahead for your Trojans 👀📈 pic.twitter.com/9xhiyFeiqD
— USC Men's Basketball (@USC_Hoops) October 13, 2025
Schedule Outlook
As the Trojans prepare to embark on the 2025-26 season, they have some nice tune-up games against Loyola Marymount and Grand Canyon coming up in a couple of days. Those games lead into their season opener on November 3rd when Cal Poly visits the Galen Center.
USC faces Illinois State at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood on Friday, November 14th. That’s before the action really ramps up as the Trojans travel to the Maui Invitational, drawing Boise State in the opening round. The field also includes NC State, Seton Hall, Washington State, Chaminade, Arizona State, and Texas.
Big Ten play begins with a bang, as USC travels to Eugene to face the Oregon Ducks on December 2nd. That’s followed up with a home clash with the Washington Huskies, before USC returns to some non-conference games. Once the calendar changes to 2026, USC basketball will embark on its toughest road trip in its short Big Ten history as it will visit both the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor and the Breslin Center in East Lansing to begin the bulk of conference play. Throw in a visit to Minnesota right after that, and it’s a pretty tough three-game stretch on the road.
As for the rest of their conference slate, the Trojans get Big Ten and National Champion contender Purdue in LA, which is certainly a positive despite the tough eastern road trips.
Home: Maryland, Northwestern, Rutgers, Indiana, Illinois, Oregon, Nebraska, UCLA
Away: Wisconsin, Iowa, Penn State, Ohio State, UCLA, Washington
The Last Word on the Trojans
It’s another completely rebuilt roster for USC, but coach Musselman certainly seems to have found the right pieces. The Trojans are not quite in the Big Ten title picture, but there is no reason this group can’t be in the running to make the NCAA Tournament in year two. One thing is for sure: the Trojans have something to prove. The confidence seems to be there despite the Arenas injury. Time will tell if it will impact the whole team.
© Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
