(Photo credit: Kamil Krzaczynski)

No. 21 Southern California tips off a potentially pivotal 2026-27 season against Milwaukee on Nov. 2 in Los Angeles.

The Trojans enter the program's third season with Eric Musselman as head coach, looking to break through after missing the NCAA Tournament in the previous two campaigns. USC endured an eight-game losing streak to close 2025-26, a spell marred with injuries and the acrimonious, premature exit of leading scorer Chad Baker-Mazara from the team.

While the skid resulted in a Trojans team missing March Madness for a third consecutive year, USC wrapped up last spring with optimism for 2026-27 thanks to the emergence of Alijah Arenas.

A five-star recruit in the 2025 signing class, an offseason car accident sidelined Arenas until the second half of his freshman campaign. He came on to average 14.1 points in 14 appearances, including four games of 20-plus points.

Through USC's exhibition schedule, the 6-foot-7 Arenas also has shown an ability to contribute on the glass.

'He should be one of the best rebounding guards in college basketball,' Musselman said following Arenas' 12-rebound outing in the Trojans' Oct. 24 exhibition at San Diego State. 'His performance thus far, through three exhibition games, has been incredible.'

The exhibition slate, which included a loss to North Carolina and wins over UC San Diego and San Diego State, marked the first opportunities for Arenas to share the backcourt with Rodney Rice during live-game action.

Rice started last season as USC's offensive catalyst, averaging 20.3 points and six assists per game in six appearances. He sustained a shoulder injury during the Trojans' run to the Maui Invitational championship, however, requiring surgery and ending his campaign.

Arenas and Rice now join up to form the foundation of a roster that also returns big man Jacob Cofie and welcomes in blue-chip prep recruits Adonis and Darius Ratliff.

The revamped Trojans welcome a Milwaukee team hoping to exceed preseason expectations.

The Panthers were tabbed to finish sixth in the 12-team Horizon League - an improvement from last season when they tied for 10th-place at 8-12 in conference and 12-20 overall.

Milwaukee is entering its fifth season with Bart Lundy as head coach, and the Panthers won at least 20 games in each of Lundy's first three campaigns.

Lundy, like other coaches, faces the prospect of routine, sweeping roster change each offseason. The 2026-27 Panthers are no exception, replacing key contributors Amar Augillard, Josh Dixon and Sekou Konneh.

However, Milwaukee retained forward Danilo Jovanovich, a preseason First Team All-Horizon selection, as well as point guard Isaiah Dorceus.

As the Panthers' preparation for the season opener overlapped with Major League Baseball's World Series, Lundy said on the Oct. 23 edition of the Milwaukee athletic department's podcast that he is taking inspiration in roster building from the Brewers' run to the Fall Classic.

'First, you need to start with the organization: How they've constructed the roster, developed players,' Lundy said. 'In my seat, at this moment in time with NIL and the (transfer) portal, there's so many lessons that I can take.'

--Field Level Media