Members of the Pacific Coast Conference, the Trojans were led by fourth-year head coach Forrest Twogood and played their home games off campus at Pan-Pacific Auditorium in Los Angeles, California.

They won the Southern Division for the first time since 1940 and met Northern Division champion Oregon State in the best-of-three PCC playoff series at Long Beach City College.

USC won the first and third games and advanced to the 24-team NCAA tournament.

At the West Regional at Gill Coliseum in Corvallis, Oregon, the Trojans defeated Idaho State and Santa Clara (in double overtime).

Seeding in brackets One Trojan was selected in the 1954 NBA draft