USC Trojans, Eric Musselman On NCAA Tournament Bubble? Bracketology Update

After upsetting the No. 7 Michigan State Spartans, USC Trojans men's basketball coach Eric Musselman spoke to the media about the current landscape of college basketball. The win now has the Trojans on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament field, according to the latest bracketology update.
Dec 18, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Eric Musselman reacts in the first half against the Cal State Northridge Matadors at Galen Center.
Dec 18, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Eric Musselman reacts in the first half against the Cal State Northridge Matadors at Galen Center. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans upset the Michigan State Spartans on Saturday in the Galen Center. Ranked No. 7 at the time of the game, Michigan State fell to No. 9 in the latest AP Top-25 Poll after falling to USC.

As USC coach Eric Musselman and his team enter the final stretch of the regular season, can they do enough to reach the tournament field? According to ESPN college basketball analyst Joe Lunardi, USC is one of the "First Four Out," alongside Xavier, Arizona State, and Pitt.

Above USC and the others on the bubble are San Diego State, BYU, Nebraska, and UCF, in Lunardi's most recent bracketology update.

USC Trojans players celebrate with fans in the student section after defeating the Michigan State Spartans at Galen Center.
Feb 1, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans players celebrate with fans in the student section after defeating the Michigan State Spartans at Galen Center. / William Navarro-Imagn Images

After the Trojans handed the Spartans their first Big Ten loss of the season, USC coach Eric Musselman delivered a rant on the current landscape of college basketball, including the selection process for the NCAA Tournament.

"A computer doesn't understand basketball. So how's a computer deciding who should be in the tournament? It's unfathomable," said Musselman after the win." It doesn't happen in any other walk of life to my knowledge, and if it does, I'd love to know what it is. But that doesn't make any sense to schedule, and . . . college basketball is about development. How are you supposed to develop younger players if you beat teams by 30, and that has something to do with your resume at the end of the year? It doesn't even make sense."

Musselman might not be a fan of the use of computers and analytics when selecting the NCAA Tournament field, but the perception of teams' resumes relies on the NET, the NCAA Evaluation Tool, and its quadrant system.

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USC is 3-6 in Quad I games, but the Trojans have a number of upcoming opportunities to pick up more Quad I wins against Northwestern on Tuesday and against No. 7 Purdue on Friday. The Trojans can also improve their resume against No. 18 Maryland, Rutgers, and Ohio State before the regular season ends. Lunardi's current projected field has 10 Big Ten teams in the field.

Musselman's rant on the NCAA Tournament selection process digressed, as he criticized other rules of college basketball.

"We don't have four quarters. Why? Everybody else in the world has four quarters. You call a time out, you advance the ball. It's better for basketball, but some guys don't want to do that because that would put pressure on you. It's really hard to coach that way. So that's my rant on college basketball," said Musselman.

Southern California Trojans head coach Eric Musselman reacts in the first half against the Cal State Northridge Matadors
Dec 18, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Eric Musselman reacts in the first half against the Cal State Northridge Matadors at Galen Center. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Musselman has given reporters many quotable moments throughout the season, including a criticism of the lack of home-court advantage in the Galen Center.

“We have no home court advantage,” Musselman said after a home loss to Wisconsin in January.

The difference in USC's home and away records led the Trojans coach to consider changing the team's plan surrounding home games, including staying at a hotel before playing in Los Angeles.

Can USC do enough to secure an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament? The Trojans will face Northwestern on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. PT before returning home to host another top-10 team in Purdue.

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