Eric Musselman left Arkansas for USC after coach Andy Enfield took the SMU job. Known as a top recruiter in the transfer portal and prep ranks, Musselman engineered a massive roster overhaul. He will rely on a quick and athletic bunch of veterans to help USC make its mark in the school’s Big Ten debut.
Saint Thomas (senior, F, 6-7, 19.7 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 4.2 apg). Thomas started all 32 games at Northern Colorado last season while averaging just shy of a double-double in points and rebounds. He shot 87% from the free throw line. He started his career at Loyola Chicago.
Desmond Claude (junior, G, 6-6, 16.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.2 apg). Claude was last season’s Big East most improved player at Xavier, where he started all 32 games and went from averaging 4.7 points as a freshman to double-digit scoring. He had surgeries on both elbows during the offseason.
Josh Cohen (senior, F, 6-10, 15.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg). Cohen started all 31 games in one season at UMass, where he earned All-Atlantic 10 honors. He previously spent three seasons at Saint Francis (Pennsylvania), where he was NEC player of the year. The big man is a strong presence in the paint and is tied for tallest player on the roster.
Last season’s roster is all but gone. Isaiah Collier and Bronny James left for the NBA draft. Boogie Ellis, DJ Rodman and Joshua Morgan graduated. Kobe Johnson transferred to crosstown rival UCLA. Vincent Iwuchukwu, Oziyah Sellers, Kijani Wright and Arrinten Page also transferred. Fans will need a cheat sheet to ID all the new faces. The backcourt includes Bryce Pope from UC San Diego, Chibuzo Agbo of Boise State and All-Ivy League player Clark Slajchert of Penn.
The Trojans host Chattanooga in their season opener on Nov. 4 and play seven of their first nine games at Galen Center. They host fellow Big Ten newcomer and rival UCLA on Jan. 27 and visit the Bruins to close out the regular season on March 8. The Big Ten Tournament begins March 12.
Senior F Harrison Hornery is the lone returner. He was a regular off the bench last season. ... The roster features 16 new players, including eight senior transfers who combined to score over 3,700 points last year. ... The Trojans last appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2023 and lost in the first round.
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