USC hires Musselman away from Razorbacks

LOS ANGELES >> Eric Musselman of Arkansas was hired as Southern California men’s basketball coach on Thursday, the first major hire by new athletic director Jennifer Cohen.

He replaces Andy Enfield, who left for the same job at SMU on Monday.

The 59-year-old Musselman will be introduced Friday at a news conference at Galen Center.

The Trojans move from the Pac-12 Conference to the Big Ten next season.

Musselman spent the last five years at Arkansas, where he led the Razorbacks to three NCAA Tournament appearances, including the Elite Eight twice. He was 111-59 overall in Fayetteville.

“My family and I couldn’t be more excited for this incredible opportunity at USC,” Musselman said in a statement. “We will be committed to the development of our student-athletes and upholding the values that make the Trojan Family so special. We will hit the ground running and work tirelessly to make our great alumni, fans and all of Los Angeles proud.”

Musselman was the head coach at Nevada from 2016-19, where the Wolf Pack won three Mountain West regular-season titles and made three NCAA Tournament appearances.

Musselman was an assistant at LSU and Arizona State, following stints as the head coach of the NBA G-league Los Angeles Dfenders and Reno Bighorns and the NBA’S Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors. He also was an assistant with the Memphis Grizzlies, Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic and Minnesota Timberwolves.

He played basketball for the University of San Diego.

Cohen said Musselman has a track record of building winning programs and has a commitment to creating a culture of excellence.

Musselman took the Razorbacks to three straight Sweet 16s before going 1617 this season, his only losing record at Arkansas.