USC basketball season preview 2024-25: Biggest games, key players to watch, predictions and more

USC parades a completely revamped roster for the 2024-25 college basketball season. Under new coach Eric Musselman, the Trojans seek to bounce back from a forgettable final stint in the Pac-12 Conference, where they finished ninth with a 15-18 record (8-12 in Pac-12 play).

Twelve new players from the transfer portal and four from the high school ranks will help Musselman and returning players Harrison Hornery and JD Plough compete against the best teams in the Big 10 Conference.

USC also wants to get back to March Madness after not receiving a bid last season, owing to their horrible 2023-24 record.

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USC's biggest games in the 2024-25 season

Dusty May's Michigan is among the Big 10 teams in USC's schedule this season. (Image Source: IMAGN).

USC has yet to release its non-conference schedule, but it has a loaded Big 10 regular season schedule up ahead.

The conference released its conference schedule on May 1, and all 18 teams will play three schools twice and the other 14 programs once. The Trojans are lined up to play new Big 10 schools and former Pac-12 co-members Oregon, UCLA and Washington twice in a home-and-away series.

Meanwhile, USC will play Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin at home this coming season. The Trojans are slated to visit Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue and Rutgers.

USC 2024-25	BIG 10 BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
Home and Away	UCLA, Oregon, Washington
Home only	Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin
Away only	Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue and Rutgers

Automatically, USC's biggest games in the 2024-25 season are against fellow Big 10 newcomers Oregon, UCLA and Washington. USC is ahead in its head-to-head matchups with Washington (76-67) and Oregon (69-62) since 1949-50 and is 57-125 against UCLA.

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Key USC players to watch out for in the 2024-25 season

Bowling Green transfer Rashaun Agee tallied 13.3 points and 9.9 rebounds for the Falcons this past season (Image Source: IMAGN).

After taking over the squad in April, Musselman worked immediately to beef up USC's roster. He retained the services of Harrison Hornery and JD Plough, who were the only two Trojans players staying with the team.

The former NBA bench tactician showed his recruiting skills, acquiring 16 players from the transfer portal and from the high school ranks. These players include standout stars Saint Thomas, Rashaun Agee and Desmond Claude.

The six-foot-seven Thomas had a breakout year with Northern Colorado, averaging 19.7 points 9.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists last season. The Omaha, Nebraska native shot an excellent 86.8% clip from the free throw line in 32 games last season.

Agee, meanwhile, is a double-double machine who averaged 13.3 ppg and 9.9 rpg during in his time with Bowling Green this past season. The six-foot-eight forward recorded 17 double-doubles which placed him joint 12th in the nation.

The six-foot-six Claude played well for Xavier last season, averaging 16.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 34 games. His performance was enough to name him as the Big East's Most Improved Player.

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USC's predictions for the 2024-25 season

USC coach Eric Musselman assembled a superb lineup this season that could cause problems in the Big 10 due to its unpredictability.

The group led by Saint Thomas would come up with some surprise wins against the conference's best squads. But just like other hastily-formed teams, they are bound to experience some birth pains due to their lack of familiarity.

The Trojans would be lucky enough to win at least 15 games this season under a practically new lineup. They may lose close games due to lack of teamwork, but they are ready to contend day in and day out.

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How many wins will the USC Trojans produce in the 2024-25 NCAA men's basketball season? Let's know your views in the comments section: