LOS ANGELES — The USC men’s basketball team is taking its time to identify its starting point guard.
Two exhibition wins and Monday night’s 94-64 victory over Cal Poly in the Trojans’ regular-season opener each saw a different starter in that position.
“I just told the team the locker room like, I don’t feel comfortable with our rotations right now,” head coach Eric Musselman told reporters after the game. “But I don’t know how anybody could feel comfortable with rotations if you played two exhibition games and one game.”
Rodney Rice, who is returning from a shoulder injury, was first on the floor at point guard against the Mustangs and finished the game with 20 points and eight assists.
“I’m not trying to prove anything,” Rice told reporters after the game. “I know what I’m capable of. I’m sure everybody else knows what I’m capable of. I’m just going out and playing and having fun with my teammates.”
USC had major offensive contributions from multiple players, though, and five Trojans ended the game with 10 or more points.
Ezra Ausar and Jacob Cofie each scored a team-high 21 points. Cofie added a team-best 10 rebounds and three blocked shots and Ausar grabbed six boards while shooting 9 for 16 from the free-throw line.
Starting forward Chad Baker-Mazara had 12 points and seven rebounds and jumped up for a big block with nine minutes left in the game to deliver the final blow to Cal Poly’s offense. The Mustangs couldn’t overcome what was a 69-53 deficit at that point.
USC picked up the pace significantly after Cal Poly’s Cayden Ward threw down a dunk with 15:37 remaining in the first half. The Trojans went on a 9-0 scoring run and shot 4 for 4 during the surge.
“I would say (the dunk) definitely a little fire under me,” Cofie said. “I don’t want to see a player get dunked on, so we had to run up to school on them for sure.”
Jaden Brownell did a little bit of everything in that time frame. He made a layup to start the run and a short series of perimeter passes got the ball in his hands for a 3-pointer. Roughly 30 seconds later, he dished the ball to Cofie for a dunk.
Brownell contributed 10 points and shot 4 for 7 from the field in 12 minutes.
Cal Poly did its best to force USC to the perimeter for the final 10 minutes of the opening half. The Trojans shot 35.7% from 3-point range in the frame, but nine turnovers in that same timespan kept the Mustangs in the game.
The Mustangs were aggressive shooters and had 72 attempts from the field (33 from behind the arc).
“We needed to guard the 3-point line,” Musselman said. “I give their staff a lot of credit and their players a ton of credit for executing. Five guys out, one guy dribble drives to the rim.”
Jake Davis came out from under the basket to make a buzzer-beating layup, and USC held a 37-31 advantage midway through the game.
USC was unable to put together a lengthy scoring run to start the second half and instead scored in spurts. Baker-Mazara, who is known for his ability to make contested shots, went cold as multiple Cal Poly defenders had eyes on him at all times.
However, Baker-Mazara was able to get to the free-throw line, going 6 for 7 there.
“That was super important – to draw FTAs because of their fast break and trying to score as quick as they possibly can,” Musselman said.
“When we talk about paint points, that equates to FTAs, as well. Drawing free throws is something that we want to do, and it’s our style, but you just never know if your roster can really get there a lot. But I do think that we have guys that can do that.”
Cofie’s third dunk of the game gave USC a 54-40 advantage and he followed that with a deep 3-pointer a short time later to keep his team ahead 57-45. The Trojans scored 57 points in the second half to coast to victory.
Cofie scored 19 of those 57 points.
“I just wanted the game to come to me,” Cofie said. “I feel like I put a lot of work into my shot, a lot of hours, so I’m definitely not hesitant to shoot it. If I get open looks like I did tonight, then I’ll definitely shoot it.”
USC returns to the Galen Center against Manhattan on Sunday at 3 p.m.
