Eric Musselman and the USC Trojans are celebrating their strong momentum to start the 2025-26 season after beating the Arizona State Sun Devils 88-75 in the Maui Invitational championship game on Wednesday night.
Going into the matchup, the Trojans had a perfect 6-0 record to begin the campaign. They were coming off wins over Cal Poly, Manhattan, Illinois State, Troy, Boise State, and Seton Hall. The last two games took place in the state of Hawaii, showing how successful the program has been this season as they start making their case as a potential contender.
Beating the Sun Devils in the championship simply put the cherry on top for their time in the in-season tournament. Musselman reflected on the win after the game on social media, praising his team's effort throughout the invitational.
“Incredible team effort at the @MauiInv! ✌️ #FightOn,” Musselman wrote.
How Eric Musselman, USC performed against Arizona State
Eric Musselman and the USC Trojans will continue to enjoy their remaining time in Hawaii, improving to 7-0 after beating Arizona State in the title game.
The game started out close as both teams traded blows to be even at 43 points apiece at halftime. However, the Trojans came alive in the second half by outscoring the Sun Devils 45-32 to secure the win and the tournament championship.
Shot accuracy, rebounding and ball movement made the difference in this matchup. The Trojans prevailed in all three categories by making 60% of their shot attempts, securing 32 rebounds and creating 16 assists. It wasn't the same for the Sun Devils as they converted 42% of their total shot attempts, grabbed 21 rebounds and dished out 10 assists.
Four players scored in double-digits for USC in the win. Chad Baker-Mazara led the way with 23 points, four assists, three rebounds, and a steal. He shot 9-of-16 from the field, including 4-of-10 from beyond the arc. Jaden Brownell came next with 16 points off the bench, while Ezra Ausar had 14 points and six rebounds. Meanwhile, Jacob Cofie provided 11 points and eight rebounds.
The Trojans will look forward to their next matchup, being on the road. They face the Oregon Ducks on Dec. 2 at 10 p.m. ET.
