What a difference a week makes.

Seven days ago, the Trojans sat at 1-3 in conference play, trying to reorient themselves after stinging losses at the hands of Michigan and Indiana. The conference gauntlet was only beginning.

But after a stunning road win over then No. 13 Illinois (13-4, 5-2 Big Ten) —  USC’s first win against a ranked opponent away from home in 15 years — the Trojans made a triumphant return to their home court, holding off the visiting Hawkeyes to pull out a 99-88 victory.

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In a matchup that it never trailed in, USC (11-6, 3-3) held off an electric Iowa (12-5, 3-3) offense that came into the matchup ranked No. 2 in the country in scoring. The Trojans shot at a near 65% rate from the field and a 66.7% rate from beyond the arc.

Junior guard Desmond Claude led the team with 25 points, notching career point No. 1,000 late in the second half. Iowa put an emphasis on guarding Claude, creating a wealth of opportunities for senior forward Saint Thomas to shine. His versatility was on display all evening, as he shot an impressive 9-10 from the field, with seven assists, nine rebounds and a season-high 24 points.

“I think it’s like, I’m like a Swiss Army knife … Last game at Illinois, I had to be the defensive guy and stop all their other big guards, and today my role was, just go out there and when they were looking at [Claude], and whenever they would double team him, just find the opening and score the ball,” Thomas said in a postgame press conference.

In a pregame speech published in a video on X, Head Coach Eric Musselman noted three keys to the game for the Trojans: taking away the three-point shot for Iowa, playing strong transition defense and pulling down offensive rebounds. 

USC excelled in all three areas, particularly in the first half. The Trojans raced out to a 48-32 lead at the break, outrebounding Iowa by 11 and limiting the Hawkeyes to four made 3-pointers in the first 20 minutes.

Redshirt freshman guard Wesley Yates III was the star of the half. While Iowa tried to protect the paint, the 6-foot-4 Texan made four 3-pointers, adding another dimension to a fluid Trojan offense.

Not to be forgotten, the Hawkeyes’ offense woke up in the second half, turning up the tempo to score a whopping 57 points in the final 20 minutes. Moving into a press defense, Iowa was also able to force a few key Trojan turnovers during the second half. 

A 14-4 run closed the gap to 5 points with five minutes to go, and the momentum began to shift towards the visitors. The Trojans held off the surge, fighting their way to the free throw line and cutting off Iowa’s point barrage.

In the end, Iowa came up short due to a tragic defensive showing. Coming into the game, the Hawkeyes ranked No. 276 of 364 nationally in scoring defense, and the reasons were laid bare on Tuesday night. While their offense shot at a 53.3% clip from the field, USC was able to create scoring opportunities whenever and wherever they wanted on the court, and Iowa had no answers defensively.

Galen Center, while still lagging behind other Big Ten environments, was much livelier than usual for the home team. A strong showing of support from the student section lifted the energy in the arena and created a solid if not strong, home-court advantage. After the game, Musselman went into the section to celebrate and take photos with cheering students.

The turnaround exhibited by the team has been dramatic. After the debacle in Palm Springs, it seemed like the Trojans would be confined to the depths of the Big Ten standings. However, the players have grown together in a cohesive way throughout the last two months, allowing players to play off of one another and maximize each other’s strengths. The Muss Bus has finally pinned down a consistent, flexible identity.

“They’re saying and doing all the right things in the huddle. They’re kind of buddy coaching and self coaching, whatever word you want — that’s when you’ve kinda turned a corner from a chemistry standpoint,” Musselman said.

While the NCAA tournament is still far away from anyone’s mind, after winning six of their last eight games, the Trojans are giving themselves a chance at a run to the Big Dance. USC has another chance at a statement victory Saturday when it hosts No. 24 Wisconsin (14-3, 4-2). The game will tip off at Galen Center at noon.