USC Basketball's Galen Center Is a Ghost Town and Musselman Knows It
Here's what should scare USC basketball fans: the Trojans ranked dead last in Big Ten home attendance last season, and it wasn't even close enough to be embarrassing for just one team. During the 2025-26 season, USC averaged 5,538 fans per game at the Galen Center, which comes out to just 53.99 percent capacity. Only Northwestern was worse, barely, pulling in 5,494 fans at Welsh Ryan Arena.
Coach Eric Musselman has been vocal about the attendance problem throughout the season. When your marquee Big Ten home games get taken over by opposing fanbases in your own arena, that's not just a vibe issue. That's a problem. The Trojans finished 18-14 overall and 7-13 in Big Ten play, and missing the NCAA Tournament for two straight years isn't helping sell tickets either.
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But here's where it gets interesting. Musselman is heading into his third season as USC's head coach, and he's not sitting around hoping things get better. The Trojans went aggressive in the transfer portal, bringing in six players. More importantly, they're landing a top-ranked 2026 recruiting class that includes three McDonald's All-Americans.
We're talking five-star forward Christian Collins, four-star forward Adonis Ratliff, and center Darius Ratliff. That kind of talent could actually put USC in position to make the tournament and compete in the Big Ten, not just fill seats but compete for real. The potential to be one of the most underrated teams in the conference next season is genuinely there.
Next Season Starts Now
If Musselman can turn around the on-court product with this recruiting class and transfer haul, the Galen Center could look a lot different. Winning breeds attendance. A special team draws fans. USC has the pieces to prove they belong in this conference and maybe, just maybe, get people excited about Trojans basketball again.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.