Men’s basketball Head Coach Eric Musselman has coached numerous televised games in both the NBA and with SEC-contender Arkansas. 

However, after back-to-back Elite Eight appearances and six total NCAA Tournament appearances with the Razorbacks before coming to USC last year, he’ll see a very different kind of game with national attention when his squad takes on Illinois State University at Intuit Dome on Friday, also broadcast live on Peacock.

The Trojans (2-0) are taking part in a Hall of Fame Series game — an annual doubleheader that, this year, includes USC’s matchup as well as crosstown rival No. 15 UCLA (3-0) versus No. 5 Arizona (3-0).

Coming off two straight 30-or-more-point wins to start the season, with Sunday’s 114-83 win against Manhattan University (2-1) being the highest scoring game for the Trojans since moving to Galen Center, USC has been on a tear offensively. Seven players had double-digit points Sunday, the most for the Trojans since the 1998-99 season.

USC’s defense has also stood strong so far, keeping the opposing team to 73.5 points per game — and accumulating a combined 18 blocks and 13 steals across two games.

Though USC’s 4:30 p.m. game is widely seen as the appetizer to UCLA’s high-profile finisher, Musselman said he was still excited for the contest and the nature of the event. 

“We believe this will be a team that can win their conference and be an NCAA Tournament team,” Musselman said in a virtual news conference Wednesday. “That’s why we scheduled them.”

Illinois State led by young guards

The Redbirds are led by junior forward Chase Walker, who scored an average of 15.2 points per game last year, graduate guard Boden Skunberg and junior guard Johnny Kinziger. Another player to look out for is freshman guard Ty’Reek Coleman, who was named the Missouri Valley Conference’s Freshman of the Week after a breakout 24-point game on 75% shooting against Cornell (1-2) on Sunday.

Illinois State, which relies heavily on Walker alongside an ensemble of guards, may prove to be the toughest matchup of the year thus far. 

“Coming into the year, they were projected as one of the best mid-majors,” Musselman said. “[They have] a lot of returning players … [and] really good shooters.”

This Hall of Fame Series meeting is just the third game between the Trojans and the Redbirds — the first in over 40 years. The last time the schools met, USC lost by three points in the first round of the 1985 NCAA tournament. Illinois State, is coming off a strong win against Cornell.

USC played both its exhibition games on the road and, since then, opened the season with two wins at home to start the regular season. With this being their first regular-season game not at Galen Center, the Intuit Dome offers a new atmosphere for the Trojans — something USC has yet to experience so far.

“That will be good for our players to get into that venue,” Musselman said. “We’re looking forward to playing a neutral site game.”

Baker-Mazara, Cofie have early success

One of seven double-digit scorers in Sunday’s match, graduate guard Chad Baker-Mazara enters Friday’s game fresh off his career-high 26-point game against Manhattan, where he knocked down 75% of his three-pointers and was a perfect 9-for-9 at the free-throw line.

“You can’t describe it,” Musselman said in a news conference Wednesday. “His shot selection is unlike any player that I’ve ever had.” 

In the first two games of the season, he is first in three-pointers scored with 5, second in rebounds with 14 and tied for most points scored with 38.

“When the lights come on, he flips a switch and becomes even more competitive,” Musselman said. “Right now, he’s been great.”

Besides Baker-Mazara’s strong shooting, it’s hard to overlook sophomore forward Jacob Cofie after his start to the season. Cofie’s back-to-back double-doubles are the first for USC since now-reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year and Cavaliers center Evan Mobley did it for the Trojans in the 2021 NCAA Tournament.

Cofie has anchored both ends of the floor, leading USC with 20 rebounds and six blocks on the season while also scoring the fourth most points made with 33.

“I felt like I let the game come to me,” Cofie said following the win over Cal Poly earlier this month. “I’ve put a lot of work into my shot, a lot of hours. I’m definitely not hesitant to shoot it. If I get open looks like I did tonight, then I’ll definitely shoot it.”

Cofie has seen the second-most minutes, behind junior guard Rodney Rice, and will expect to see more as he goes for his third straight double-double against the Redbirds.

Arenas’ recovery moving forward

More good news came from Musselman, as freshman guard Alijah Arenas, a former five-star recruit by ESPN who suffered a major knee injury in July, is making strong progress in his rehab process. After being predicted to potentially miss the entire season, Arenas has made significant strides, with a reevaluation set for January. 

“Things are going good,” Musselman said in Wednesday’s news conference. “He is now allowed to cut … which was a big step that happened yesterday.”

Though USC hasn’t been on The Associated Press’ Top 25 since the third week of the 2023-24 season, the two blowout wins allowed them to muster 12 voting points in the most recent poll released Nov. 10 — 118 away from being ranked. 

The games will also commemorate the life and legacy of former UCLA center and NBA MVP Bill Walton, who died last year.

The Trojans will try to improve their case for being ranked for the first time in the Musselman era in their Friday-night contest broadcast live on Peacock. Tipoff at Intuit Dome is at 4:30 p.m. as USC plays in the first part of the Hall of Fame Series double header.