USC Trojans (5-4)
The definition of an “average” team, USC has lost to every good team (Vanderbilt, Texas Tech, Nevada, and TCU) while beating five mid-major schools who doesn’t move the needle. The problem was the losses, with three of them coming by a margin of 12+ points in non-competitive contests.
There have been positives for the team, including the emergence of big man Nick Rakocevic. The 6’11 junior leads the Trojans with 15.0 ppg and 11.2 rpg. He and Bennie Boatwright (when healthy) makes up the best frontcourt in the entire Pac-12. And after a disappointing sophomore season, Derryck Thornton has been a good starter for the team, averaging 8.9 ppg and 4.5 apg.
But without a good win so far, are the Trojans doomed to repeat last season’s NIT ending? Or do they have just enough to make a run in the Pac-12 and get the at-large that they missed a year ago?
Panic
If you’re a team from the ACC, SEC, Big Ten, or Big 12, you can afford to miss chances at big wins in the non-conference and make up for it in January and February. That’s not the case with the Pac-12, with the league as a whole struggling to get enough valuable wins. The number of bids the Pac-12 will get could be as low as three or four, and the Trojans haven’t looked like a top-4 team. The schedule doesn’t even work out to their benefit, having just one game with the only ranked team in the conference in Arizona State.
That makes the upcoming game with Oklahoma a must-win, with the Sooners representing the only chance left at a quality win for USC. Otherwise, they’ll have to do all of their work in the Pac-12, and it’s the wrong year to rely on that. I still don’t know how good this team is, but a few more losses will have fans already looking ahead to next season, with a No. 1 recruiting class coming in.