USC men’s basketball is off to a strong start in the Eric Musselman era, but the Trojans are doing it with more tape and grit than they probably imagined back in October. After Sunday’s 68-61 win over Washington State, Musselman confirmed what many had feared - junior guard Rodney Rice may be done for the season with a shoulder injury suffered in late November.
“I would say there’s a possibility [he’s out for the season], but there’s no finality,” Musselman said postgame. It’s not the kind of update anyone wants to hear about the team’s breakout star.
Rice had been electric through USC’s first six games. He wasn’t just putting up numbers - he was setting the tone.
Averaging 20.3 points and six assists per game, Rice was the engine of the Trojans’ offense. His triple-double on Nov. 14 - just the second in USC history - felt like a coming-out party.
But just 11 days later, during the Southwest Maui Invitational, that momentum came to a halt with the shoulder injury that now threatens to sideline him for the year.
Unfortunately for the Trojans, Rice isn’t the only name on the injury report. USC is navigating a brutal stretch of attrition, with two starters and their top sixth man already sidelined, plus another starter dealing with lingering issues.
It’s not exactly the ideal way to enter Big Ten play. And yet, somehow, they’re sitting at 10-1 (1-1 in conference), having cracked the AP Top 25 before a Dec. 6 loss to Washington.
“I’m amazed that we’re 10-1, to be honest,” Musselman said, pointing directly to the injury situation as the reason for his surprise. “I also know that we have to get a lot better.”
One of the more frustrating twists in all this is that Rice wasn’t even expected to be the lead guard. That role was originally slotted for five-star freshman Alijah Arenas - the third-highest-ranked recruit in USC history. But a knee injury back in July derailed that plan before it ever left the station.
Now, there’s a bit of light at the end of that tunnel. Musselman said Sunday that Arenas is on track to return to practice this week and could participate fully after USC’s upcoming matchup against UTSA. The hope is that he’ll be game-ready by mid-January, which would be right on schedule with the early end of his six-to-eight month recovery timeline.
In the meantime, graduate guard Chad Baker-Mazara has taken the reins - and then some. He’s averaging a team-best 21.6 points per game, along with 5.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.5 blocks.
That’s not just filling in - that’s carrying the load. But even Baker-Mazara isn’t immune from the injury bug.
He briefly exited Sunday’s game with a hamstring issue, though he returned in time to deliver a crucial block down the stretch.
“On one of his strides, he felt some uncomfort,” Musselman said. “But he went up and blocked a big shot at the end that we needed.”
USC is also without senior guard Amarion Dickerson, who was a key contributor off the bench. Dickerson brought energy and toughness in his 22 minutes per game, averaging 4.6 points and 3.4 rebounds before a right hip injury sidelined him for three to four months. At this point, it’s likely he won’t be back this season either.
All of this has Musselman looking for reinforcements. On Sunday, he floated the idea of adding a player midseason - though NCAA rules prevent transfers between Division I programs during the year. That means any addition would have to come via an alternative route, and Musselman didn’t offer specifics.
“To coach with those three guys out, it’s hard,” he said. “If we can somehow get another player, I’d like to get that done, too, if we can make that happen.”
So here’s where things stand: USC is 10-1, ranked, and competing - all while missing multiple key players and relying on a patchwork rotation. The injury situation is real, and it’s not going away anytime soon.
But the Trojans are grinding, and Musselman’s crew isn’t backing down. If they can get healthy - or even just stay afloat until reinforcements arrive - this team could still make some serious noise in the Big Ten.