USC concludes its season-opening six-game homestand when it hosts a Grambling State team in the midst of a five-game road odyssey.
USC (4-1) rebounded from its first loss of the season, a 71-66 setback on Nov. 17 vs. Cal, with an 82-68 defeat of San Jose State on Wednesday. First-year Trojans head coach Eric Musselman tinkered with the lineup in Wednesday’s contest, which included bringing Terrance Williams II and Chibuzo Agbo off the bench.
Both Williams and Agbo started each of their previous appearances for USC but shined in their reserve roles with 20 points each.
“The entire coaching staff is super proud of how Terrance and Chibuzo handled it, which is what you want out of experienced veterans,” Musselman said. “I don’t think they could have handled it any better.”
The change to the rotation in response to the Cal loss also saw USC regain the ball-movement-based offense that buoyed the Trojans in their first three wins. USC tallied at least 20 assists in each of the first three games but had only 10 in the loss last week.
Against San Jose State, the Trojans scored 23 of their 32 field goals off assists, including nine by Saint Thomas — bringing his season total to 30.
Grambling State (1-3) comes to Los Angeles playing its fourth road game in a five-game trip, and the first of three in California over the next four games. The Tigers travel to Cal Poly on Tuesday and Pepperdine on Dec. 7.
Grambling State’s western swing took it to New Mexico on Thursday, where the Tigers lost 80-58. P.J. Eason finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds in the loss, but preseason Southwestern Athletic Conference Player of the Year Kintavious Dozier had just three points.
The Tigers will need production from Dozier, who averaged 13 points per game in leading Grambling State to its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance a season ago. The Tigers led the SWAC preseason poll as the league’s favorite to return to the postseason.
“We are going to prepare the same way we did in the previous years. The only difference is that there are more expectations, and with expectations comes a part of understanding that every moment is a little bit bigger,” Grambling State coach Donte’ Jackson told Fox 14 in Monroe, La. “The good thing is, we have the expectations. The other good thing is we are going to be ready to compete.”
