Big Ten play resumes tonight with USC making the cross-country trip to face Michigan at the Crisler Center (7:00 p.m., Peacock/NBCSN).
The Trojans are 12-1 (1-1 Big Ten) on the season and ranked 39th nationally, per KenPom. They’ve primarily excelled in games that they should win, stacking top-100 wins against teams like Illinois State (79th), Boise State (52nd), Seton Hall (47th), Arizona State (78th), and Oregon (74th).
They also haven’t faced a top-45 team or played a game east of California, with their lone loss coming at home against Washington after blowing an 18-point first-half lead. USC doesn’t have many noticeable blemishes entering Big Ten play, but it hasn’t proven it can handle the challenges a Big Ten schedule will present, either.
The Trojans
As you’d expect from an Eric Musselman team, this roster looks nothing like last year’s team and is loaded with veteran transfers. USC is ranked 320th in minutes continuity and 17th in D-1 experience, per KenPom. The Trojans have impressive positional size, especially on the perimeter, and have great length and switchability.
USC has been better on offense (38th adjusted efficiency) than defense (58th) this season. Like many of Musselman’s teams, the ability to draw fouls and get to the free-throw line is a staple. The Trojans lead the country in free-throw rate, attempting 53.3 free throws for every 100 shot attempts, and they’ve posted a free-throw rate of 39 or higher in 11 of their 13 games.
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