USC Basketball: 3 reasons the Trojans will be better than UCLA in 2018-19

With the season less than two months away, one of the toughest rivalries out west will be fought between the USC Trojans and the UCLA Bruins. How can the Trojans break tradition and win the crosstown series?

When it comes to the historic rivalry between USC and UCLA, the Bruins have traditionally ruled in basketball, while the Trojans have taken the crown as the top football program in the city. The Bruins’ Men’s Basketball Team holds a 138-105 record over the Trojans, and have recently looked to other Pac-12 programs for more competitive rivalries.

Despite an honest effort from USC to establish a competitive basketball team in the Pac-12, UCLA has still owned the series. In fact, the Bruins have won 9 of the 13 matchups since USC hired Andy Enfield as the head coach for the Trojans.

Last season, despite finishing second in the conference, the Trojans lost both games against the Bruins. In fact, the Bruins made the NCAA Tournament over the Trojans, even with a worse record and lower finish in the Pac-12 standings.

Currently riding a four-game win streak against their rivals and sporting one of the nation’s top recruiting classes, UCLA is an easy pick to win the series again this season. However, the Trojans have some key advantages over their rivals that may swing the results in their favor.

What are the three key reasons the Trojans could find themselves on the winning end of one of college sports’ biggest rivalries?