USC Trojans Transfer Portal: Elite Maryland Guard Rodney Rice Commits

The USC Trojans men’s basketball team needed to make moves through the NCAA Transfer Portal with numerous losses following the season. USC coach Eric Musselman recruited Maryland shooting guard Rodney Rice through the portal, a big pickup for the Trojans.

Rice is a four-star guard who spent the 2024-2025 season with the Maryland Terrapins. The Terrapins had a stellar season, ending with a 27-9 record, 14-6 in Big Ten conference play. It was one of Maryland’s best seasons in over a decade, making it to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament.

Before his time with Maryland, Rice played for the Virginia Tech Hokies. He played for the Hokies for two seasons, making USC his third school in four years.

Mar 27, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; Maryland Terrapins guard Rodney Rice (1) stands on court during the second half against the Florida Gators during a West Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

This past season with Maryland, Rice started in 32 games, averaging 13.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. The guard finished the season with a 43.4 field goal percentage and a 37.4 three-point percentage.

Maryland lost the tournament against the Florida Gators, who went on to be crowned champions. Against the winners of the tournament, Rice scored 12 points, finishing the game with four rebounds and two assists.

Maryland coach Kevin Willard left the program to become the next coach for Villanova, leading to multiple players entering the portal. As a result, Rice has found a new home with the Trojans.

Rice ultimately chose USC over Villanova, Auburn, Tennessee, and Gonzaga. Rice could have played for his former Maryland coach, and Tennessee made a strong push for the shooting guard, but Musselman secured a commitment from the talented guard.

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Per the On3's rankings, Rice is a four-star transfer. He is the No. 37 player in the portal and the No. 11 shooting guard. This is a major pickup for Musselman and the Trojans, who needed to bring in guard depth.

After losing guard Wesley Yates III to the portal and already lacking depth last season, bringing in a talented player like Rice was crucial. With guard and leading scorer Desmond Claude returning, he and Rice could turn into a dynamic duo for the Trojans.

Rice is the seventh portal addition for the Trojans, joining former Virginia forward Jacob Cofie, Robert Morris guard Amarion Dickerson, CSUN forward Keonte Jones, Samford forward Jaden Brownell, Youngstown State center Gabe Dynes, and Utah forward Ezra Ausar.

Mar 27, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; Maryland Terrapins guard Rodney Rice (1) reacts after shooting a three point basket during the second half against the Florida Gators during a West Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

With the addition of Rice, USC is up to 13 scholarship players for next season, out of the allowed 15. USC’s transfer class is ranked No. 11, per the 247Sports transfer class team rankings. USC forward Saint Thomas is still waiting for approval to play one more season with the Trojans.

The Trojans ended the season with a 17-18 record, going 7-13 in Big Ten conference play. USC did make the Big Ten tournament, making it to the second round, when the Trojans lost against the Purdue Boilermakers.

This is the first full offseason for Musselman with USC, and after a disappointing first season, the coach is already looking to make a big push next year. The Trojans are being aggressive in the portal, attempting to improve from the 2024-2025 season.

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