And midgame, naturally, he asked head coach Eric Musselman for a break. Denied. “He said if I wanna be an NBA player,” Thomas after USC’s victory over Iowa on Tuesday, “I gotta suck it up.” ...

LOS ANGELES — For nine years, unless he got a chance to catch his late father Bill’s Minnesota Golden Gophers, Eric Musselman ... at USC? “I don’t think so,” Musselman said.

Although he was tasked with rebuilding the roster from scratch, USC coach Eric Musselman has been able to establish foundational pieces in his first year at the helm of the Trojans. Jan 14 ...