NCAA Basketball Power Rankings: Illinois rises, Dayton keeps impressing

USC has quietly flown under-the-radar throughout this season and deserves plenty of consideration for the Top 25. The Trojans might have split their two contests of the past week but it’s hard to be too upset with an overtime road loss to Oregon. They performed at a high level in that game but were unable to seal the deal. USC did respond with a 20-point road win over Oregon State in its second week of the game, though, to move into my rankings.

I have been high on the Trojans throughout this season and they had been knocking on the door of inclusion for the past few weeks. Even with their split over the past few days, it is time to move USC into the rankings. The Trojans boast an excellent 16-4 (5-2 P12) record and have impressed time and time again, particularly on the defensive end of the floor. Their poor overall efficiency metric rankings certainly hurt their NCAA Tournament resume but you cannot deny that they are winning games consistently and that’s what matters most.

Leading the way for USC this season has been star freshman big man Onyeka Okongwu. Although he might not receive the most attention nationally, Okongwu has been excellent all year long while averaging 17.3 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. It is clear that he is one of the best first-year players in the country and has emerged as the star for this team.

Two seniors join him as double-figure scorers for the team in Jonah Mathews and Nick Rakocevic.