USC came to Michigan State with no defeat in the conference, but they left with their heads down. The Trojans lost 80-51 on Monday night, and now head coach Eric Musselman has to face it. After two big losses in a row, one question comes to mind: Can Musselman’s team really compete with the best in the Big Ten?

After the one-sided defeat in the Breslin Center, the USC head coach Eric Musselman did not hold back when talking to the press. Musselman gave a clear ultimatum about star guard Chad Baker-Mazara’s performance:

“He’s got to produce. I didn’t think he played very well at all tonight or at Michigan, and we need his scoring or we’ve got to look for somebody else.” The statement makes Baker-Mazara’s recent offensive problems seem even worse and shows that Musselman wants his main scorer to get better right away.

The numbers back up Musselman’s anger. Baker-Mazara only scored four points on 2-of-6 shooting against Michigan State, which is a big drop from his season average of 20.4 points per game. He scored 15 points against Michigan State in a previous game and 27 points against Michigan, but this performance was a worrying trend. Baker-Mazara’s offensive production has not met expectations in USC’s last two losses, a 30-point loss to Michigan and a 29-point loss to Michigan State. This raises questions about how consistent he will be when the Trojans play teams that are good enough to make the tournament.

Eric Musselman’s bigger worries about depth were clear in his evaluation of the team’s overall problems, not just individual performances. The coach said. “I don’t like how we responded tonight, but I don’t know if, from a talent standpoint, without those guys, I don’t know where we are.” This was in reference to recent injuries to guards Rodney Rice and Amarion Dickerson. And because of these absences, USC has had to rely more on Baker-Mazara, which has put more pressure on the veteran guard.

The 29-point loss on the road showed weaknesses that go beyond one player. USC made 32.7 percent of its shots from the field and 17.6 percent of its shots from three-point range. They also turned the ball over 17 times, seven of which were by forward Ezra Ausar. Michigan State’s transition game worked really well, scoring 25 fast-break points and keeping USC from getting into a defensive rhythm.

What’s Next For USC Under Eric Musselman?

The Trojans have one last chance to save their awful three-game trip on the road. USC can’t afford to lose again after losing two in a row to teams that are good enough to be in the tournament. They play Minnesota at Williams Arena on Friday night. The Golden Gophers may not have the same history as Michigan or Michigan State, but this game is very important for Musselman’s team.

In college basketball, it is very important to end a road trip with a win. It gives them momentum, boosts their confidence, and sends a message as they head into the grind of conference play. A win in Minneapolis would show that USC’s last two games were just flukes against top teams and not signs of a system that was falling apart.

Minnesota is a different challenge from what the Trojans faced in Ann Arbor or East Lansing. The Golden Gophers aren’t scoring 25 points on fast breaks or keeping their opponents’ shooting percentages at all-time lows. This is USC’s chance to reset its offense and remember that it has the talent; it just needs to use it.

The Big Ten Network will show the tip-off at 5:30 p.m. PT. Friday night isn’t just another game for Musselman, Baker-Mazara, and the Trojans. It’s a chance for them to show that they belong in the top tier of the Big Ten before the season moves on.

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