USC hired Arkansas men’s basketball coach Eric Musselman for the same role, it announced Thursday, filling a vacancy created when former Trojans coach Andy Enfield left the program for SMU in March.

Over five years at Arkansas, Musselman amassed a 111-59 record and three NCAA Tournament bids. The Razorbacks followed up back-to-back Elite Eight appearances in 2021 and 2022 with a trip to the Sweet Sixteen in 2023. A 16-17 record in 2023-24, which was the worst of Musselman’s tenure, kept Arkansas out of the Big Dance this year.

Before landing in Fayetteville, Ark., Musselman spent four years coaching the Nevada Wolf Pack. He racked up 110 wins with only 34 losses, three regular-season Mountain West championships, a conference tournament title and three NCAA Tournament trips.

Musselman’s predecessor, Enfield, led USC to five NCAA Tournament appearances in 11 seasons. The furthest the Trojans advanced under Enfield was the Elite Eight in 2021 when the team had Evan Mobley, who was the Pac-12 Player of the Year that season before the Cleveland Cavaliers drafted him third in the 2021 NBA Draft.

How will Musselman fit at USC?

Musselman breathed life and fire into a formerly dormant Arkansas program, reaching the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament three straight years before a disappointing season in 2023-24.

USC basketball operates mostly in the shadows, which is understandable in the saturated L.A. market. Musselman can at least draw attention with his fondness for social media (some would say self) promotion. At the same time, he also burns really hot, which might be an interesting fit in laid-back Southern California. USC’s roster has already begun a mass exodus, but Musselman, the master of the transfer portal, should be able to restock quickly. — Brian Bennett, senior editor 

What’s next for Arkansas?

Arkansas should be able to attract a strong candidate here, especially as it proved it can compete at the highest level under Musselman. The fan support is as good as it gets in the SEC, outside of Kentucky. If the Razorbacks are willing to take on some risk, they could look to Ole Miss coach Chris Beard, who once coached at Arkansas-Little Rock, or McNeese State’s Will Wade, the former LSU coach. Or they could go a much safer route with someone like Jerome Tang at Kansas State. There’s no reason they shouldn’t aim high. — Bennett

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