Another College Basketball Coach Complains About Realignment Travel

One of the biggest, maybe expected, impacts of conference realignment has been travel-related difficulties. 

From Penn State not having a big enough airport for cross-country plane trips, to quick turnarounds for teams in the newly expanded ACC, Big Ten and SEC. But where it appears to really be taking a toll is on West Coast-based teams having to travel east multiple times throughout a season, while the central or eastern teams are able to make just one trip west. 

UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin has spoken about the hassles of repeatedly traveling east from Los Angeles. 

READ: UCLA Coach Goes Off On New Big Ten Travel Schedule

And now his crosstown rival at USC has joined in.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - USC Trojans head coach Eric Musselman reacts from from the sideline during the second half against the Maryland Terrapins at Xfinity Center om Feb. 20, 2025. Photo: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

USC Head Coach Criticizes New Realignment-Caused Travel Schedule

USC head coach Eric Musselman spoke about the problems with the newly expanded Big Ten after a disappointing recent road trip to Maryland and Rutgers. 

"UCLA, Washington, Oregon, USC, we're in the hole two-to-four games," Musselman said. "And it's gonna be that forever for men's basketball.

"When you travel three time zones, and you're out here for six days . . . we're gonna get back roughly at 3 AM, and then we're gonna bus, and then they're gonna go to class at 8, and you're not gonna be in your bed even to try to attempt to sleep until 4 AM."

Musselman also said the travel seems to disproportionately benefit the Midwestern teams. 

"Should a West Coast team be playing a game at 6:00 at night?" Musselman said. "Oh by the way, Ohio State's in Los Angeles and has been there for two days. And they played several hours before us. But yet we're the team that has to travel across the country, and then our body clocks have to readjust.

"Is that why we lost tonight? No, I'm more worried about the travel affecting our game [against] Ohio State."

These are all valid concerns, and it's led USC to a 2-6 record in the Central and Eastern time zones. It's also an inevitable consequence of chasing increased television dollars by putting teams in Maryland and Los Angeles in the same basketball conference. 

There isn't an easy fix, travel and time zones are what they are. It's just going to make winning from the West Coast a lot harder than it used to be.