USC men’s basketball deserves a lot of credit for handling business in its nonconference schedule so far. Eric Musselman’s team is 3-0 and has won every game by 20 or more points. That is the first time since 1928-29 that USC has won each of its first three games by 20+ points.
Through three games last season, USC was also 3-0, but it was playing in nail-biters against really small schools.
USC beat Chattanooga by 16, beat Idaho State by only six and UT Arlington by only three in the first three games of the Eric Musselman era last season, then lost its fourth game against Cal.
In contrast, USC has left no doubt this season. USC is breaking records and playing well-rounded basketball. That allows for confidence building, and for USC to go deep in its bench and get the whole roster playing experience when the game is already in hand.
USC hopes to get another big win in its fourth game of the season against Troy. Here are five things to watch as the USC Trojans take on the Troy Trojans for Trojan bragging rights and hopefully another tally in the win column:
Will Rodney Rice build on historic performance?
In USC’s previous game, an 87-67 win over Illinois State, guard Rodney Rice became only the second player in USC men’s basketball history to record a triple double with 21 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high 10 assists.
The only other player to record a triple-double in USC history is Daniel Hackett in 2007.
It’s been a bit of a slow start to the season for Rice shooting the basketball. He is shooting only 37% from the field; he shot 43% from the field last season. He has yet to shoot better than 50% in a game.
Rice has likely been still getting his legs back under him after he was sidelined for some of the offseason due to a shoulder injury. But he is playing the most minutes on USC, so he’s seemingly been full go so far.
Nonetheless, perhaps the historic performance will be the spark Rice needs to take his offensive efficiency to another level.
More minutes for Gabe Dynes?
USC’s 7-foot-5 center Gabe Dynes began the season with a limited role, playing only 7 minutes in the season opener against Cal Poly and 8 minutes against Manhattan.
But Dynes’s role expanded to 32 minutes against Illinois State, and he rewarded coach Eric Musselman’s trust in him. Dynes scored 14 points on 6-7 shooting and also recorded 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks and 1 steal.
Dynes is one of USC’s most fun players to watch, especially on the defensive end, where he has 2 or more blocks in every game so far this season. Will he continue to receive an expanded role in Musselman’s rotation, to the delight of USC fans? We’ll get an idea against Troy.
Continued offensive production throughout the roster?
The most encouraging trait USC has shown so far this season is offensive depth. USC has scored 87 or more points in all of its games. They have been able to reach such solid offensive totals because at least 4 Trojans have scored 10+ points in each of USC’s three games.
Rodney Rice, Chad Baker-Mazara and Ezra Ausar have scored 10+ points in all three games. Jacob Cofie, Jaden Brownell, Jordan Marsh, Terrance Williams II and Gabe Dynes have also all reached double figure scoring in a game this season.
Rice, Baker-Mazara and Ausar will not all be on fire every game. But can USC keep getting good offensive production from at least one every game, and also find points from unexpected places?
“Lets go…Trojans?!”
I’m curious to see if USC’s band, cheerleaders, student section, DJ, and others attempting to lead the chant will still extensively use the chant “Let’s go Trojans!”
Maybe it’s a silly thing for me to wonder, but given that Troy is also called the Trojans, wouldn’t it be counterproductive for them to feel like the Galen Center was cheering for them?
Maybe we hear more “DE-FENSE!” “OF-FENSE” and “U-S-C” from the crowd in this game than “Let’s go Trojans.”
A high-scoring affair?
Troy has 5 players on its roster averaging over 11 points per game. As a team, Troy is shooting 48% from the field.
USC has 4 players averaging over 11 points per game and is shooting 49% from the field.
Troy has also allowed over 90 points twice this season, while USC allowed over 80 points once.
Could this be a game akin to the 114-83 USC win against Manhattan earlier in the season? Maybe not that extreme, but I’d expect USC to aim for 100 points again while Troy lands around 85.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC men’s basketball takes on Troy Trojans at Galen Center
