
USC men's basketball reportedly to open 2025-2026 season vs Cal Poly at Galen Center
Friday afternoon, college basketball analyst Rocco Miller reported that the Trojans will host Big West foe Cal Poly at Galen Center on November 3. The game will be the season opener for both teams.
This is the second nonconference matchup of USC's that Miller has reported in the past week. Recently, he revealed that the Trojans are finalizing an agreement to face Illinois State at Intuit Dome in Inglewood on November 14.
USC is entering Year 2 under head coach Eric Musselman. After an underwhelming 2024-2025 season, the Trojans will be looking to level up and return to NCAA Tournament contention in 2025-2026. They need to have a month of November which is much more successful than what they produced last year. USC stumbled out of the gate last season and reduced its NCAA Tournament margin for error. That can't happen this coming November.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Players Era 2025: Schedule announced for NIL-driven Players Era Men's Championship
Las Vegas will once again be the place to be during Feast Week this college basketball season. Coined "November Mania," the Players Era Men's Championship announced its schedule for the newly expanded 18-team men's basketball NIL multi-team event in November in Las Vegas on July 14, and to no surprise, it's quite loaded. Then called the Players Era Festival, the NIL-driven event by storm last season and has quickly become a must-play event with NCAA Tournament caliber teams, so much so that teams paid their way out of already scheduled multi-team events to participate in it last season. Headlining the first two days of competition in Las Vegas is Gonzaga vs. Alabama on Wednesday, Nov. 25. Preceding the Bulldogs and Crimson Tide on Nov. 25 is St. John's vs. Iowa State, two teams that are notoriously known for their defense under Rick Pitino and T.J. Otzelberger. REQURIED READING: College basketball too-early Top 25 rankings after transfer portal, NBA draft Day 2 of the 2025 Players Era Men's Championship field is headlined by an Elite Eight rematch of Houston vs. Tennessee and then Iowa State vs. Creighton, two teams that were already scheduled to meet in October for an exhibition. The 2025 Players Era Men's Championship field includes 14 teams that made the NCAA Tournament last season, and nine teams — Auburn, Houston, St. John's, Alabama, Iowa State, Maryland, Oregon and Michigan — that were seeded at least a five seed or higher in the field of 68. Eleven teams that appear in the USA TODAY Sports too-early top 25 poll will also compete in Las Vegas. The four-day multi-team event will take place in Las Vegas at MGM Grand Garden Arena and Michelob Ultra Arena from Monday, Nov. 24 through Thursday, Nov. 27 with the championship game taking place on Wednesday, Nov. 26. There will also be a four-team Players Era Women's Championship featuring South Carolina, UCLA, Texas and Duke that will take place Wednesday, Nov. 26 and Thursday, Nov. 27 in Las Vegas. Here's what to know from the July 14 announcement of the 2025 Players Era Men's Championship: Players Era Championship bracket 2025 The returning teams to the Players Era Festival include Alabama, Houston, Rutgers, Notre Dame, Oregon, San Diego State and Creighton. The only team that isn't returning to the Players Era Championship from last year's field, which Oregon won, is Texas A&M. The Aggies were replaced in the field by Maryland, which hired away Buzz Williams from Texas A&M this offseason. Here's a full breakdown of who is competing in the 2025 Players Era Men's Championship: Players Era Festival 2025 schedule Here's a look at schedule for the 2025 Players Era Men's Championship, which will take place MGM Grand Garden Arena and Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas: Monday, Nov. 24 Tuesday, Nov. 25 Wednesday, Nov. 26 Note: For those that didn't make the championship or third place game on Wednesday, November 26, they will play in consolation games across Wednesday, November 26 and Thursday, November 27 in Las Vegas What is the Players Era Championshop? The Players Era Championship is a one-of-a-kind multi-team event that takes place during "Feast Week" of the college basketball season in November, during Thanksgiving week. Debuted during the 2024-25 season with an eight-team field, The Players Era Championship is a NIL-driven multi-team event with some of the best college basketball teams in the country. Each team will receive $1 million for participating in the event, while players and teams will have the opportunity to earn more NIL while in Las Vegas. The champion of the Players Era Championship will win an additional $1 million in NIL earnings as well. Noted by CBS Sports' Matt Norlander, the total pot for the 2025 Players Era Championship will be north of $20 million in NIL-related earnings — quite the expensive multi-team event and regular season showcase event.


USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
USC's Woody Marks could make substantial impact in Year 1 with Houston Texans
Last season as a USC Trojan, Woody Marks showed out in a big way. He delivered a 1,133 rushing yard season with 9 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 47 passes for 321 yards. This type of production led to Marks being selected with the No. 116 pick in the fourth round of the NFL draft by the Houston Texans. The expectation for Marks in Year 1 isn't a 1,000-yard rushing season with the Texans. Houston already has an elite running back in the building: Joe Mixon. However, there is a dire need for a productive running back as the second option. That could be Nick Chubb or it could be Marks. In a Raiders Wire feature Texans Wire reporter Cole Thompson offered his thoughts on a potential breakout rookie for the Texans: "There will be a role for Marks in Nick Caley's offense. How big? That depends on the status of Nick Chubb, who when healthy should be the primary No. 2 back behind Joe Mixon. Still, the Texans didn't give up a future third-round pick in 2026 for the former USC star to sit. Marks' best asset are his hands, especially on third down in the receiving game. Over five college seasons with Mississippi State & USC, he caught 261 passes for 1,546 yards and five touchdowns. Caley's offense has always featured at least one stable pass-catching runner, so if Marks can provide that spark out of the backfield for C.J. Stroud during training camp, he'll be a gadget type that keeps the sticks moving on manageable situations through the air." Woody Marks is a multi-talented back who can play all three downs for this Texans offense, making him really valuable and a candidate for an impactful rookie performer. Who knows how productive Nick Chubb will be after suffering multiple injuries the last couple seasons? Woody Marks is definitely a name to keep an eye on for the Texans this upcoming preseason.


USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
USC baseball star Ethan Hedges selected in third round of MLB draft by Colorado Rockies
After an incredible season with USC baseball, Ethan Hedges is officially an MLB draft pick. On Sunday, the Colorado Rockies selected Hedges in the third round of the 2025 MLB Draft. Hedges is coming off a special season with the Trojans in which he shined on both sides of the ball. At the plate, he hit .346, while driving in 58 runs and smashing 14 homers. In addition to serving as the Trojans' starting third baseman, he also pitched as the team's closer. He had a 2.40 ERA in 15 appearances, recording 9 saves. This marks the second season in a row that USC has had a player drafted in the third round. Last year, outfielder Austin Overn was selected by the Baltimore Orioles. Ethan Hedges isn't the only player named Ethan to be drafted by the Colorado Rockies. The organization drafted Ethan Holliday as the No. 4 pick after the first three teams passed on former Rockie Matt Holliday's son, who is also the brother of big-leaguer Jackson Holliday, who plays for the Baltimore Orioles. Ethan Holliday did not join Jackson as a No. 1 pick. The brothers narrowly missed becoming the first brother-brother pair to become joint No. 1 picks in the MLB draft.