SC is rightfully not going to be ranked over those two teams when the season starts, if they're even ranked. They didn't have a great class like the Trojans did, but they still had a solid top 12 class with two five-stars who will probably start (Amari Bailey and Adem Bona).Ĭonsidering they had a better season than SC last year, they're another team who enters this year in a better spot than SC, and perhaps a better spot than UA. They could end up being even better than Arizona.Įspecially because while they didn't have the type of recruiting class USC had, they still had a good one. And unlike U of A, the story of their offseason isn't in large part them losing a lot of talent, but in that what they still actually retain. UCLA didn't, but they still had a good one where they advanced to the Sweet Sixteen. He could potentially only get better as a coach, as he gets used to being a head guy. They lost plenty of talent to the NBA (Dalen Terry, Christian Koloko, and Bennedict Mathurin), but they picked up a four-star transfer in Texas' Point Guard Courtney Ramey, and took a big jump this past year as soon as they brought Lloyd in. Keep in mind that that's even in the first year of Tommy Lloyd's career there, and first year ever being a head coach. 2 ranked team coming into the NCAA Tournament. Do they have to worry about Arizona? Well, yes, as Arizona was a Sweet Sixteen team last season and the No. That's the same team that went 17-15 last year, with not even a Tournament appearance, obviously. That would be Arizona, Washington, and Oregon.ĭoes USC have to worry about Washington? Absolutely not. Three teams in the conference picked up a four-star transfer, and USC was of course not one of them. In fact, they didn't bring in a single transfer. The one reason to not buy USC Basketball this year, though, is that they did not pick up much in the transfer portal. Again, for every reason not to believe in USC Basketball this year, a new reason TO believe in them pops up. Then again, there has been optimism about a return from him from Trojan Head Coach Andy Enfield recently. The issue is, the best recruit of the cycle (five-star Center Vince Iwuchukwu) ended up suffering from cardiac arrest at a practice in July. 7 recruiting class in the nation this cycle. ![]() On the bright side, though, SC brought in the No. They return starting guards Drew Peterson (First-Team All-Pac 12 selection) and Boogie Ellis (All-Pac 12 Honorable Mention), but their best player from last year is of course gone. ![]() While the Trojans wish him the best, it of course creates the problem that is the amount of talent USC is returning. Adding to the disappointment was Isaiah Mobley leaving for the NBA, as expected. And judging on how far Miami went, who's to say the Trojans couldn't have gone on a deep run themselves? Still, though, they lost and it was a disappointment. Not to mention, if it weren't for horrendous officiating in the NCAA Tournament, SC of course wins in that Round of 64. They ended up going on a run that led them to the Elite Eight. The wild part about that too, is that the team they lost to (Miami) was certainly no typical 10-seed. That being said, it was the same team that also got bounced in the Round of 64 during the NCAA Tournament. Does anybody really know how good that SC team was? That was a team that was setting regular season USC records, and even being ranked in the top five well past the new year. What that means is that last season left a lot of questions unanswered. USC Basketball is entering a complicated season this year.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |