THE USC men’s basketball team ends up with a tournament trophy and a national ranking before its first conference game. Isn’t that cool?
The Trojans (7-0) just won the Maui Invitational, winning two of their best three of the season in the process. They are ranked No. 24 in this week’s AP poll, the first time they have been ranked in the Eric Musselman era and the first time overall since November 2023.
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The Trojans rose to national prominence during the second year of the Muss Bus. But now it’s time to find out if they’re real and can keep the national spotlight on them, for the right reasons.
Here are five things to watch as the USC Trojans take on the Oregon Ducks Tuesday night and looks to improve to 8-0:
Conference Tip
You haven’t earned your stripes as a top team until you show how you stack up against your conference opponents.
USC’s game against Oregon is the Trojans’ 2025-26 Big Ten opener. The Big Ten is going to be busy this year, with most (yes, most) of the conference scheduled to compete in the NCAA Tournament. Oregon is one of the teams expected to make the tournament.
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USC’s season will be defined by conference play, and that scenario begins Tuesday. Getting off to a good start can make a huge difference in how the conference narrative plays out throughout the season.
First real test drive
Yes, USC just returned from the Maui Invitational, which the Trojans won. So it’s not necessarily about managing the journey. But the fact remains that they have yet to play a real road game this season. They played four games at the Galen Center and three games on Maui.
We have yet to see this team put under the pressure of a road environment. How will the Trojans respond to a tough road environment at Matthew Knight Arena?
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Hopefully with a better result than USC football at Autzen Stadium.
For the record, USC played an exhibition game away from Los Angeles against GCU in Phoenix, Arizona in October. The Trojans beat the Antelopes by 6 points.
What is Rodney Rice’s health?
USC star guard Rice left early in the Trojans’ Maui Invitational win over Seton Hall and did not play in the championship game against Arizona State. He seems to have some sort of shoulder problem. It is not yet clear how long he is expected to be out.
Will he be back in the lineup against Oregon? Or will the Trojans have to rely more on Chad Baker-Mazara and others again?
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Are Oregon’s injured stars playing?
The Ducks are also dealing with injuries to key players, including forward Devon Pryor and center Nate Bittle.
A small loss would be particularly significant for the Ducks. He has been Oregon’s leading scorer with 16.3 points per game and leading rebounder with 7.8 rebounds per game so far this season.
Bittle would be a handful for the Trojan defense, considering he’s 7’0” and 220 pounds, but he also shoots 35% from three-point range.
Pryor is also a regular starter for Oregon averaging 5.2 points per game. The availability of both players will have a huge impact on this game.
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Jaden Brownell: the X factor?
Jaden Brownell had an absolutely incredible game against Arizona State at the Maui Invitational. He scored 16 points on 6 of 11 shooting and made 3 huge 3-pointers for the Trojans. He also had 1 rebound.
Brownell, who averages just 7.4 minutes per game for USC, was something of an unlikely hero. But does his performance in USC’s biggest win of the year deserve more minutes, especially with Rodney Rice out? We’ll find out against Oregon – and if he gets an expanded opportunity, can he keep it?
This article was originally published on Trojans Wire: USC men’s basketball faces the Oregon Ducks in Eugene
