Eric Musselman is beginning to show USC fans what is possible

Eric Musselman is showing why USC hired him. The results are beginning to flow in for the Trojans.

It was easy to be unimpressed with Eric Musselman and USC men’s basketball in late November. The Trojans got clobbered by Saint Mary’s and New Mexico and looked like a below-average team which was not ready to win. Yet, it was always logical to think that a roster comprised of transfers would need time to come together. Andy Enfield’s departure shredded the existing roster. Musselman had to build a new one from scratch. USC basketball players did not have any experience playing together. The first month and a half of the season figured to be choppy. The results indicated as much, with USC failing to win the biggest games on its schedule. However, Eric Musselman knew that with more time and more practice, these Trojans could become good.

We are seeing the fruits of patience and the return on investment we hoped for when Eric Musselman was hired at USC.

The Trojans have looked like a very good team the past few weeks. They gave Michigan, arguably the favorite to win the Big Ten, a tough battle before losing late. They won at Illinois, another Big Ten title contender. Tuesday, they raced past Iowa by 10 points, very neary scoring 100.

Desmond Claude and Wesley Yates are balling. The Trojans are attacking the glass and are playing with hunger. USC is now bagging some good wins. If the Trojans can keep stacking quality results, the NCAA Tournament — viewed as a longshot (at best) in late November — could become a realistic possibility.

Eric Musselman is figuring things out. He was viewed as a good hire for a reason.