Before a ball could even be tipped off at the Galen Center, senior guard Rodney Rice has already received recognition for what could be a pivotal season.
Rice was named to the 2026-27 preseason All-Big Ten Team on Monday, the first player under head coach Eric Musselman, who enters his third year at the helm, to receive preseason conference honors. But this only adds to the growing list of expectations put on the team ahead of the season, which has drawn national attention.
The Trojans were picked seventh in the Big Ten’s preseason Media Poll, right behind last year’s Big Ten tournament champions, the Purdue Boilermakers. USC also appeared in 11 preseason rankings, including ESPN’s Men’s NCAA Basketball 2026-27 Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings, where they are projected as No. 12; Fox Sports ranked them No. 13, and FanDuel ranked them No. 15.
They started last season 12-1 and appeared to be promising before injuries and inconsistency chipped away at their roster. They ended the season on an eight-game losing streak and missed the NCAA tournament for the second time under Musselman’s tenure.
But these rankings tell a different story, one that puts a target on USC’s back. As a program that finished with an 18-14 record, these emerging expectations will either excite or disappoint fans.
Some of the excitement stems from the return of Rice, who could change the trajectory of the team this season. Last season, his year was cut short due to a shoulder injury, but before his absence, Rice was seen in six games as an important contributor.
“I think that we were able to survive a little bit last year right after Rodney’s injury,” Musselman said. “I think as the season progressed, you saw how much we missed, you know, a guy that was averaging 20 and 6.”
He averaged 20.3 points per game, a team-high six assists, all while scoring double digits in every appearance of those six games. He also etched his name into USC history with a triple-double against Illinois State, the second in program history.
Then, there’s the rest of the roster.
Not only is there the return of Rice, but also sophomore guard Alijah Arenas, who missed the first 18 games of his freshman season while recovering from knee surgery, and junior forward Jacob Cofie. During the program’s first NBA Pro Day last week, Musselman talked highly of these three returners.
“I think getting three guys back is crucial on retention, especially when you look at the Big Ten landscape,” Musselman said.
Now add in seven transfers and an impressive freshman class that was ranked No. 5 nationally by ESPN, the second-highest in program history. That’s a lot of program history that has been made within these few years under Musselman’s tenure.
The more notable transfers include senior guards KJ Lewis from Georgetown and Jalen Cox from Colgate and sophomore center Eric Reibe from UConn, bringing talent and experience from other programs.
“He’s [Cox] a guy that gives us something unique and different because he’s, you know, he’s a true point guard. He’s got great speed,” Musselman said.
Then, bring in five-star freshman forward Christian Collins out of Inglewood and the four-star 7′1″ Ratliff twins from New York. Freshman forward Adonis Ratliff and center Darius Ratliff may add more intrigue as Musselman has them working through their shooting and position shifts.
“Darius has surprised us with his shooting as well at the five spot,” Musselman said during media availability ahead of the team’s pro day. “You’ll see today Adonis has predominantly played the small forward spot at 7 ‘1, and he’s shot the ball well, provides spacing, you know? Probably during the course of the season he’ll probably play the 3/4.”
On paper, this roster is filled with potential, but potential won’t meet these preconceived expectations; the plays will.
USC’s seventh-place projection in the Big Ten makes it clear that this lineup is seen as a team capable of making noise. They have the talent, the recognition, and a recruiting class that is turning people’s heads. Now, they have to make it all work together.
As the returners have something to prove this season, they are also stepping into a veteran role for the freshmen, where they’ve spent the summer together getting a feel for each other’s capabilities.
“Adonis, he’s a really good shooter,” Arenas said during Pro Day.
“I would say [Adonis] as well. He can shoot really well for a freshman. I have never seen something like that,” Cofie said.
For Rice, it means turning this preseason honor into production, and for Musselman, it means molding a collection of returners, transfers, and freshmen into a team that can get in the paint and perform to the point where these predictions become reality.
“I would say the length, the versatility, the team chemistry, and the team buy-in. Again, it’s early,” Musselman said.
The Trojans don’t have to wait long to see whether this preseason hype holds any weight, as their first test is this Friday, Oct. 9, at Chapel Hill as they face the University of North Carolina Tar Heels at the Dean E. Smith Center.
Edited by Adriana Brady and Lauren Worley