Eric Musselman is not messing around in Year 3 at USC, because he's finally crafted a top-20-quality roster with Sweet 16 expectations, and the entire Big Ten needs to be ready. After two challenging seasons, Musselman knows his program has to rise to meet the seriously high standard established by the Big Ten, which just won the national title with Michigan taking down UConn in the final last season. It's go time for the Trojans.
The Hard Road Paved for Greatness
Look, Musselman's first two years were rough. In Year 1, he had to just throw a roster together, no chance to really succeed. Year 2, he actually assembled a quality squad, but man, those injuries just devoured them. It’s tough. As Musselman himself put it, you can't overcome losing a guy averaging 20 points and six assists per game for more than eight or nine games. Nobody can. They were 18-6 at one point, which gets forgotten way too often, but the injuries crushed that momentum. Being the first USC men's basketball coach in the Big Ten was always going to be a grind, especially with the league's history of phenomenal coaches. Musselman wanted this challenge, though. He told USC athletics that he feels his dad, who coached in the NBA and college, would be proud of what they've done so far, but he knows they "have a lot more to go." These three years have been a huge learning experience, he said, and no one on staff thought it would be easy. They want to go against the best and be the best.This Is Their Best Shot Yet
Now, in Year 3, USC feels like they have their best team yet. We're talking size, depth, experience, and even McDonald's All-Americans on the roster. Musselman thinks everyone should be excited, and honestly, with that kind of talent, how can you not be? But let's be real, the Big Ten is absolutely loaded. Illinois, for instance, is bringing basically everybody back from a team that had the best offense in all of college basketball last season. Over the long haul, Musselman even calls the Big Ten the premier conference for both football and basketball. He's not wrong. They still have areas to improve, for sure, but after showing flashes in Year 2 before the injury bug hit, this USC squad appears ready to handle itself. This is their moment to make a deep run in March Madness. Get ready, Big Ten, because the Trojans are coming.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.