Eric Musselman Doesn't Hold Back After USC's Brutal Loss to Illinois

The USC Trojans suffered a brutal 101-65 blowout loss to the No. 10 Illinois Fighting Illini on Wednesday night at the Galen Center. In what was a struggle from the start for the Trojans, here's what USC coach Eric Musselman said following the loss.

Feb 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Eric Musselman yells at referee Kelly Pfeifer in the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans suffered a brutal loss to the No. 10 Illinois Fighting Illini on Wednesday night, falling 101-65. The Fighting Illini dominated the Trojans from start to finish as they handed USC their worst loss of the season. Illinois guard Andrej Stojakovic led the charge for the Fighting Illini, scoring 22 points, three rebounds, and one steal on 6-of-7 shooting from the field. 

After falling to the Ohio State Buckeyes, 89-82 on the road, the Trojans were hoping that the week-long rest could help them come out strong and earn a signature win over one of the best teams in the Big Ten. However, that didn't come to fruition, as the Trojans struggled throughout.

Feb 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Eric Musselman and guard Alijah Arenas (0) react against the Illinois Fighting Illini in the first half at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The brutal loss raises questions about whether USC is an NCAA Tournament-caliber team. Despite the loss, USC remains on the bubble of making the tournament for the first time in three seasons. 

With five games remaining before the Big Ten tournament, the Trojans currently post an 18-8 overall record and are 7-8 in conference play. Here’s what USC coach Eric Musselman said following the Trojans' blowout loss to Illinois.

What Eric Musselman Said

Feb 8, 2026; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Eric Musselman looks on from the bench during the second half against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Bryce Jordan Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

On USC's Performance Against Illinois:

“I didn’t think USC played well on either side of the ball,” Musselman said. “It’s pretty simple. We were not good enough tonight. We got to get better in all aspects. Every player, person, coaches in the program got to look in the mirror and ask how can we get better."

Moving Forward From Blowout Loss:

Feb 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans forward Ezra Ausar (2) reacts against the Illinois Fighting Illini in the first half at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

“We still got a lot to play for. Can’t feel sorry for ourselves. Can’t make excuses. We got to get back to what we’ve been doing on the road, which is playing good basketball, and we haven’t played really good here, and we’ve got to figure out how we can play better basketball at home than what we’ve done,” Musselman said.

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Illinois's Dominance From the Start:

Feb 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Kylan Boswell (4) shoots the ball against u13 in the first half at the Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

“I thought the opening play, we went through the play today its a cross-screen. The prior game, they ran that same play for zero tonight. They ran for 13, and Gabe got cracked on a screen, and they get a dunk. And then three-point shooters, you’re supposed to make those guys floor the ball," Musselman said.

"Whether they didn’t understand how great of a shooter Davis was and some of those guys, but I’m sure they know now, how good of shooters they were, and if they don’t their not living in reality because we got thoroughly outplayed,” Musselman continued. 

Large Crowd Size For Illinois:

“I mean, I’ve only been here for a year and a half, right now I've got to try and figure out how to beat Oregon. There were a lot of Illinois fans for sure,” Musselman said.

The Trojans now face a must-win game for their tournament chances when they look to complete the regular season sweep of the Oregon Ducks on Saturday at the Galen Center. The tip-off between USC and Oregon is scheduled for 1 p.m. PT with the game broadcast on FS1.