Days after losing transfer portal commit Kezza Giffa, USC's Eric Musselman lands Ivy League standout

USC Trojans coach Eric Musselman has been busy retooling his second roster in Southern California. Musselman continued his roster revamp for the upcoming season by securing Ryan Cornish, a transfer guard from Dartmouth, on Wednesday.

Cornish, a 6-foot-4 senior and First Team All-Ivy selection, is a dynamic addition to the Trojans’ backcourt, bringing a wealth of experience and scoring ability.

During the past season, Cornish demonstrated his all-around game, averaging 17.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. His shooting efficiency was also notable, connecting 41.3% of field goal attempts and 37.2% from beyond the arc.

"Ryan is a combo guard that can give us versatility at both guard spots," Musselman said (per ESPN). "He is a proven scorer who can not only knock down the 3-ball, but he also does an excellent job of drawing free throw attempts."

Cornish's addition comes just days after Eric Musselman and USC lost a transfer commit in former High Point guard Kezza Giffa. He had initially committed to USC but reopened his recruitment and chose Ole Miss instead. Giffa was with the Trojans for less than 48 hours before switching to the Rebels.

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Where does Eric Musselman's USC squad rank in the 247Sports team recruiting rankings?

With Ryan Cornish's commitment, USC's transfer portal class now has nine new additions. According to 247Sports' transfer rankings, the Trojans are ranked No. 6 in the nation, trailing St. John's, Kentucky, Michigan, Kansas State and Louisville.

Cornish joins a group of transfers that includes Chad Baker-Mazara from Auburn, Ezra Ausar from Utah, Rodney Rice from Maryland, Jacob Cofie from Virginia and Gabe Dynes from Youngstown State, among others.

Eric Musselman will hope that the new additions will help turn things around USC after the Trojans went a disappointing 17-18 overall last season. They failed to make the NCAA Tournament, which might justify seven players from the roster entering the transfer portal.

Desmond Claude and Wesley Yates III, two of their top scorers from last season, are seeking new destinations. Yates has committed to Washington, while Claude is exploring his options.

Moreover, USC added two high school recruits, Alijah Arenas and Jerry Easter, for the 2025-26 season.