The USC men’s basketball team is undeniably an unpredictable bunch. However, its opening-night blowout victory over the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga made a compelling statement to the patchy Galen Center crowd still learning the names of the almost entirely new roster.

The Trojans’ (1-0) nonconference schedule is composed of mostly mid-major opponents, providing a chance for Head Coach Eric Musselman’s transfer-heavy group to build confidence and a winning record before beginning its treacherous Big Ten schedule.

USC had its first opportunity to do so against Chattanooga (0-1), as the Trojans decisively dismantled the Mocs thanks to a 50% shooting night and limited turnovers, showcasing their ability to score inside without relying too heavily on getting to the free throw line.

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Musselman was not afraid to flex his lineup consistently, especially given presumed starter graduate forward Terrance Williams II’s absence due to a back injury. The Trojans’ bench featured seven players with at least 8 points, including 13 from graduate forward Matt Knowling, who went a perfect 6-for-6 from the field with four assists and strong defensive play on the other end.

Three-point shooting didn’t appear to be USC’s main point of attack, but graduate guard Chibuzo Agbo sank four shots from deep and helped the Trojans take the driver’s seat down the stretch.

“The thing with Chibuzo is he can shoot over the defense,” Musselman said after USC’s win Monday night. “He’s a guy that’s got extreme confidence.”

While the win kicked off the season in high spirits, USC fans know all too well that a dominant opening game won’t necessarily indicate what is to come. Last season, the Trojans bested Kansas State — a team coming off an Elite Eight run — with ease but struggled with inconsistencies the rest of the year, ultimately completely missing out on March Madness.

This year’s USC team is different. Expectations are nonexistent; the Trojans don’t possess sons of NBA legends or top recruits; the spotlight is elsewhere. But the cast of project players — with very limited time to develop chemistry — has the chance to help Musselman develop a roadmap for his coaching future at USC.

A successful, hard-fought season could impact player recruiting, fan attention and — most importantly — a true identity for a squad assembled seemingly overnight.

This season, USC has become somewhat of an island of misfit toys. Unlike last year, the team hasn’t had a bona fide first option emerge — at least yet. The humble roster breakdown should encourage players, with some of whom are playing for their third college, to give it their all every night, even in lopsided nonconference games.

“We’re talented, one through 16,” Knowling said. “I feel like we could trust anyone to go out there and play. We have a ton of experience, so it’s pretty tight. But there’s a ton of talent everywhere through the roster.”

The Trojans’ next opponent will be the Idaho State Bengals (0-1), who fell to Arizona State (1-0) in an offensive snoozefest Tuesday evening to begin the season. Idaho State shot just 25.4% from the field and 14.3% from 3-point range, an off night for a team coming off a two-win performance in the Big Sky Conference Tournament last season.

The matchup with the Bengals will be USC’s second of six consecutive home games to begin the year.

Like USC, the Bengals’ roster looks different, as the team’s four highest scorers from last year have all departed. Senior forward Isaiah Griffin led the team with 12 points against the Sun Devils and will be expected to carry the load against the Trojans.

“I think we have a lot of high expectations and goals that we want to reach, including making a run deep in March Madness,” Agbo said. “But as we win and we keep going on, I think people are just going to hop on the ‘Muss bus’ and start filling it up.”

Still trying to win the hearts of the Trojan faithful, USC will aim for another blowout victory Thursday when Idaho State comes to Galen Center at 7 p.m. Musselman’s postseason aspirations will take time to come to fruition, but the first-year head coach knows that each win — slowly but surely — will bring the program closer to future Big Ten dominance.

“We’re an unselfish team. These guys know how to win and know what it takes to sacrifice and be there for others,” Agbo said.