Freshman guard Jerry Easter II didn’t just score — he set the tone defensively as USC men’s basketball wrapped up its preseason with exhibition wins over Loyola Marymount University on Oct. 18 and Grand Canyon University on Saturday. Better known for his scoring and passing abilities, Easter helped anchor a defense that could define the Trojans’ season.

Easter and junior center Gabe Dynes combined for eight steals and 11 blocks across both games, providing early defensive consistency for a team still searching for an offensive rhythm.

Ranked as the No. 45 recruit in the class of 2025 by ESPN, Easter looks to shine as one of the few underclassmen on the team. He and several other newcomers have credited Head Coach Eric Musselman as one of the main reasons why they chose USC over other teams.

“I like the way [Musselman] pushes his players,” Easter said after committing to USC last November, according to ESPN. “That’s what I need.”

Despite strong performances by Dynes and Easter, Musselman acknowledged the rotation is not yet set — especially following the recent shoulder injury to junior guard Rodney Rice, who is expected to play a central role in the Trojans’ starting lineup.

“We’re still trying to figure out who we are,” Musselman said in a postgame news conference after the win over GCU. “Still trying to figure out roles.”

While the defense excelled in both games, the offense will remain the team’s focus heading forward as it looks to tighten up. With the potential season-ending injury to freshman guard Alijah Arenas and Rice’s recent setback limiting offensive production, the Trojans will need others to step up if they want to vie for an NCAA Tournament berth come March.

Trojans take home 60-51 win over Lions

In the Trojans’ first of two exhibition games before the official start to the season, graduate forward Chad Baker-Mazara led the scoring with 14 points and two steals in just over 30 minutes off the bench, propelling USC to a 60-51 win over LMU.

Baker-Mazara and Rice are poised to be two of the team’s offensive leaders this season when Rice returns.

Another strong performance from the Trojans’ win came from junior guard Jordan Marsh. Marsh proved why he received heavy praise from Musselman before the season, scoring 12 points while grabbing four rebounds and two assists. He’s projected to be a key component of Musselman’s rotation this season, thanks to his strong offensive abilities.

Dynes, who scored 9 points on 75% shooting, collected eight rebounds and blocked a game-high six shots, proved to be an invaluable part of the defense this season. The 7-foot-5 center will look to lock down the paint this season, while Easter and Baker-Mazara will try to run the perimeter on the defensive end.

While USC’s double-digit steals and blocks carried the night, the team’s shooting struggles stood out the most: The Trojans shot 33% throughout the game, making just nine shots in the second half.

Easter leads USC to 67-61 victory at GCU

While Dynes put on another strong showing, totaling 13 points and two blocks in just under 23 minutes, Easter was the star of the show against GCU. Easter recorded a double-double, scoring 10 points, 11 rebounds and three steals to lead the Trojans to a 67-61 win.

Easter, who got the start on Saturday, made the most of his nearly 32 minutes on the court.

“I was trying to play hard to do anything I could to win,” Easter said in a postgame news conference.

Baker-Mazara played nearly all 40 minutes, taking 21 shots but hitting just five. Still, he once again led the team in scoring, posting 15 points, four rebounds and two steals. Musselman defended his star forward, acknowledging the heavy workload after Baker-Mazara made less than 24% of his shots.

“I’m sure he was tired,” Musselman said of Baker-Mazara’s performance. “He probably didn’t think he was going to take 21 shots, but I wanted the ball in his hands with his ability.”

Baker-Mazara will look to be more efficient in USC’s upcoming home opener against Cal Poly. With more than a week to prepare, Baker-Mazara said he is ready to work with his teammates to put together a stronger performance.

“We just go back to the lab, clean up some stuff that we have to do offensively and defensively, and keep talking to the guys,” Baker-Mazara said postgame following USC’s win.

The Trojans will officially kick off their season against Cal Poly at Galen Center on Monday at 6:30 p.m.