USC needs an easy, low-stress win now more than ever.

The Trojans (4-2) have dealt with major injuries for much of the season, leading to two non-conference losses after a string of unproductive practices because of those injuries, which Head Coach Andy Enfield has mentioned in postgame press conferences multiple times.

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Now, USC has an opportunity to take on an Eastern Washington team with five losses and just one win, albeit all of those losses have come against Power Five squads. Luckily for the Trojans, though, those losses have come by an average of more than 15 points per game.

“We have to regroup now and get ready for this week; it’s a big week for us,” Enfield said in an interview with the Daily Trojan. “Most competitors don’t enjoy losing. I expect [USC] to take the court Wednesday night and you’ll see a team full of competitors.”

So far this season, the Trojans have struggled to rebound — securing the same number of boards this season as their opponents despite having five players on the roster at 6 feet, 9 inches or taller. This struggle was particularly evident in USC’s most recent game, when Oklahoma (6-0) scored a game-winning bucket off an offensive rebound to beat the Trojans — a loss that forced USC out of the Associated Press Top 25 and put the Sooners into the rankings.

“Due to our injuries and the lack of practice, it was a struggle early on to get any continuity on offense; we were playing a lot of guys out of position,” Enfield said. “The last possession [against Oklahoma] is very frustrating because that shouldn’t happen … Our players know what our weaknesses are and they have to keep working at it.”

The Trojans will have a good opportunity to break out of their rebounding woes against the Eagles though, as Eastern Washington has struggled to rebound the ball through its six games.

Where the Trojans will need to tighten up is defending the 3-point shot. Oklahoma shot 45.5% from deep when it took down USC, and although the Eagles have only shot 32.5% from that range, the Sooners don’t have a much better season percentage (33.6%).

Daggers from downtown nearly led to another loss for the Trojans when they played the Brown University Bears (2-6), and USC needs to limit those makes to avoid a third loss before December even starts.

Junior guard Kobe Johnson is an important piece in limiting the deep shot, as his 12 steals lead the team. His 72 pilfers last year were tied for 17th in the country, earning him a spot on the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team.

“People are starting to notice me more,” Johnson said in an interview with the Daily Trojan. “I think I still bring that same intensity every game, and I just look forward to going out every game and just showing everybody what I can do on the defensive end, and then starting to show people what I can do on the offensive side, too.”

Johnson has only played in four games — he is one of the Trojans who has dealt with injuries this season — but if he can regain his 2022-23 form in the defensive end, he can help USC limit the Eagles from beyond the arc.

The Trojans’ December could make or break the season, and USC needs a win in this one to start the month off strong. Shortly into the final month of the year, USC will take on the No. 11 Gonzaga Bulldogs (4-1) — their only loss coming to No. 1 Purdue.

Then, later in the month, the Trojans start Pac-12 play in their last year in the conference. USC was predicted to finish No. 2 in the Pac-12 in the preseason media poll, but the Trojans’ early-season losses have thrown that result into doubt.

“[Our young players] have to keep growing as players,” Enfield said. “I think this team needs to keep developing its identity on the offensive and defensive ends and the young players have to get valuable experience. As talented as they are, they’re still still making some freshmen mistakes.”

USC needs to kick off an important stretch of games with a bang, and Eastern Washington is a team for the Trojans to do just that if they utilize their guard play and have a strong game on the offensive and defensive boards.

“We should respond in an aggressive way,” Johnson said. “I think the way the game ended the other day is not how we wanted it. And I think there’s a lot of stuff that we need to learn from that game and take it with us.”

The Trojans will hope to swing the momentum pendulum back in their favor when they take on the Eagles Wednesday, with tipoff scheduled for 8 p.m. at Galen Center.