USC has only two games on the books, and already the Trojans’ backcourt is making a loud case for itself. Eric Musselman’s team is leaning hard on the star power of Alijah Arenas and Rodney Rice, and through this early stretch, that pairing has looked every bit like the engine of the season.
The most eye-catching piece is Arenas, who has come out looking like a natural scorer from the jump. At 6-foot-7, he doesn’t play like a wing trying to fit a mold; he moves smoothly, gets to his spots, and scores with ease.
In the opener against Milwaukee, he put up 21 points on 8-for-14 shooting. Then he followed that with a bigger statement on Sunday against Wichita State, pouring in 30 points.
He looks like the player USC will trust when the game tightens up and the shot clock winds down.
Rice has been just as important, even if his impact shows up a little differently. The senior guard is giving USC a steady playmaker who can create for others and still flip the switch as a scorer.
He has recorded 9 assists in each of the first two games, and he also led the Trojans with 32 points against Wichita State on Sunday night. That mix of distribution and scoring makes him a tough guard to contain when he gets rolling.
Together, they made a bit of history, becoming the first USC teammates to score 30 points in a game since 2015. That kind of output probably won’t be the nightly norm, but the shape of their production is already clear. Rice looks capable of piling up assists, Arenas looks built for 20-point nights, and the two of them fit together in a way that gives USC real flexibility.
Against Wichita State, the Trojans needed both stars to go big, and both delivered. It is still early, but the ceiling with this duo is obvious. If Arenas and Rice keep this level of play going, USC has the kind of guard tandem that can carry a lot of weight this season.
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USCs New Backcourt Delivered But Early Warning Signs Are Already There
USC got the kind of backcourt burst it was hoping for in the Caesars Lake Tahoe Classic, where guards Alijah Arenas and Rodney Rice each turned in career nights in a win over Wichita State. Arenas scored 30 and Rice added 32, giving the Trojans a dynamic one-two punch that carried much of the offense while Eric Musselmans group showed the kind of aggression he has been pushing since taking over.
Even with those standout performances, the game also offered a reminder that this team is still sorting out its identity. USC had trouble from three-point range but stayed afloat by hitting 88 percent of its free throws, and KJ Lewis again showed why his defensive presence matters even as foul trouble limited him late. The Trojans have firepower, but the early signs suggest Musselman still has a few things to clean up before this backcourt can fully settle in. [Read more 🡒]
USC Faces Early Road Test That Could Prove This Start Is Real
USC gets an early chance to show its strong start is more than a good opening note when it heads to Haas Pavilion on Nov. 11 to face California on ESPN2. The No. 21 Trojans have already banked a neutral-site win over Wichita State, and they did it with a burst of offense from Rodney Rice and Alijah Arenas, whose career-best scoring night helped set the tone for a promising first stretch.
Now comes the kind of road test that can sharpen a young season in a hurry, especially before USC settles into a three-game homestand. California will provide a different setting and a different kind of pressure, and for a team trying to establish itself early, this is the sort of game that can either reinforce the buzz or expose how much work still remains. [Read more 🡒]
USC Faces A Big Ten Test That Could Change Everything
With Indiana coming to Los Angeles, USC is staring at one of those midseason Big Ten games that can reshape how the rest of the conference is viewed. The matchup matters well beyond the Trojans, because the league has already started sorting itself into winners, rebound candidates and teams trying to keep their footing, with Oregon suddenly back in the College Football Playoff conversation and UCLA getting a lift from backup quarterback Ty Dieffenbach.
For USC, the stakes are tied to more than one Saturday. A strong showing would help the Trojans strengthen their place in a conference that has already produced plenty of volatility, while a stumble would add to the pressure on a league race that has coaches like Matt Rhule and Kyle Whittingham facing uncomfortable questions about where things are headed. Indiana may be the next opponent, but the larger backdrop is a Big Ten season that still feels wide open, and USC has a chance to make itself part of the story in a major way. [Read more 🡒]