Wisconsin basketball USC Trojans game preview Big Ten schedule update

The Wisconsin Badgers (14-3, 4-2 Big Ten) could have their hands full Saturday afternoon when they take on the Wave USC Trojans (11-6, 3-3 Big Ten).

USC is red hot of late. The team is the winner of two straight conference games, each in decisive fashion. It defeated Illinois 82-72 Iowa 99-89. That has elevated it to a crowded middle class in the Big Ten standings.

Related: Updated win-loss predictions for the Wisconsin basketball schedule heading into the West Coast road trip

That stretch is a marked difference from USC’s early season form. It began the year, its first under head coach Eric Musselman, with a narrow win over UT-Arlington, a loss to Cal, then three straight sweeps to Saint Mary’s (71-36), New Mexico (83-73) and Oregon (68-60). The team’s 5-4 start had it ranked near the bottom of the Big Ten with the likes of Minnesota and Washington.

Improvement was expected in the season as Musselman, who arrived with a stellar track record from five years at Arkansas, reshaped the roster and installed his system. That’s especially the case when he orchestrated a top-down guard overhaul upon arrival — the Trojans returned just 5.4% of the minutes and 3.6% of the scoring from a 2023-24 group that finished the season 15-18.

This is an extended way of delivering this pregame thought: USC is currently playing much better basketball than its 11-6 record and middling KenPom (No. 66) and ESPN BPI (No. 58) indicate.

Trojans Wire’s Matt Zemek recently gave a good look on that reality and the Trojans’ momentum going into Saturday’s game:

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

Desmond Claude and Wesley Yates frolic. The Trojans attack the glass and play with hunger. USC is now coming off some good wins. If the Trojans can keep piling up quality results, the NCAA tournament — seen as a longshot (at best) in late November — could become a realistic possibility.

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

Wisconsin and USC are set to tip off at 3 PM ET, 2 PM CT on Big Ten Network. The Badgers are looking for their seventh straight win and fifth straight in conference play. They may need their top form to achieve that result.

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