USC is back in the NCAA Tournament, fresh off a 2007 Sweet 16 appearance and poised for another deep run.
Led by the outstanding play of freshmen OJ Mayo and Davon Jefferson, with help from sophomore sensations Dwight Lewis, Taj Gibson, and Daniel Hackett, the Trojans are not only one of the youngest teams in the Field of 65—they're also one of the most dangerous.
Head Coach Tim Floyd is also very solid. In only two full seasons with the Trojans, Floyd has notched third- and fourth-place finishes in the Pac-10, along with a Sweet 16 appearance.
But neither he nor the Trojans are satisfied. USC will play in Omaha the first two rounds, drawing fellow teen-heavy powerhouse Kansas State in the opener. KSU has the best overall player in college basketball in Michael Beasley, who's averaging 26 points and 12 rebounds per game.
KSU finished third in the Big 12, with wins over Kansas and Oklahoma. However, outside of Beasley and Bill Walker, another freshman, the Wildcats really don't have a third scoring option—which has been an issue all season long. The Trojans, on the other hand, have four starters averaging double-digits. The fifth, Hackett, contributes 8.5 points per game.
USC should advance with relative ease, as KSU is very mediocre away from home, boasting a mere 5-9 record. The Trojans, on the other hand, have proven all year long they can compete on the road, with wins over UCLA, Oregon, and Arizona that contributed to an 11-6 road/neutral court record.
Round Two should be interesting, as the Trojans will take on the Big Ten regular-season and tournament champs, the Wisconsin Badgers.
This matchup is the definition of contrast in styles as the Badgers slow the game down to a crawl. However, the problem lies on the offensive end, as Wisconsin has scored over 70 points only twice in its last 17 games.
If USC can get out and run, which is a very good possibility, Wisconsin just doesn’t have enough firepower on the offensive end to compete. In the end, USC will be too much for the offensively-inept Badgers, and will advance to a second-consecutive Sweet 16.
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3 months ago
USC to "advance with relative ease"?
I don't know, Beasely is on a mission, and you know he doesn't want to get outdone by another freshman. I like KSU in a close one. Should be a great game either way.
from 3 months ago
I just think K-St is a one-man show and won't get much offensive production outside of Beasley. So even if Beasley and Walker combine for 70% of K-St's points (like they've done during the season), that still won't be enough.
3 months ago
great analysis. however, i think wisconsin-usc will be a tougher matchup than you suggest. the key for usc will be staying out of foul trouble. wisconsin has system that emphasizes guys getting to the line. if usc plays decent D and shoots well against the zone, they got em.
3 months ago
I like USC until they would get to Kansas in the Elite Eight, where it finally hits a team with more athletes and talent than the Trojans have.
3 months ago
Good article. I love the USC, this is a tough draw but I've got USC winning this game in my bracket as well.
3 months ago
good job man. I like USC over K-State and they match up really well against Wisconsin, which could be another potential victory. I just don't call them a sleeper because they're still a #6 seed, which means they have an advantage in rank over their opponents in the first round. I, for one, could see USC doing great and I thought that the tournament commity would have them ranked as a #5 seed. But, as you probably have already read, the rules were write an article of a #6-16 seed and you did the job. If I didn't already pick Davidson, USC would definately be next in line.
3 months ago
You and I agree that USC might be the most heralded sleeper in the tournament. Everyone knows about Mayo, but may not realize the athletic ability of the Trojan front. Pac-10 fans do, but that's a secret just about everywhere else. The men from Troy can match up defensively with the Badgers and clearly have more offense. USC has one glaring weakness. No depth on the bench. Foul trouble or a twisted ankle and the Trojans are done. Great article Chris!
3 months ago
USC was also the team I wrote about. It was the first team that came to my mind when I thought about a team ready to make a deep run.
Good to see some other writers taking a similar stance.
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