Busting Brackets
Fansided

USC Basketball: Checking in on Trojans 2022-23 NCAA Tournament resume

By Holden Walter-Warner

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 14: Boogie Ellis #5 and Drew Peterson #13 of the USC Trojans high five after a point gainst Long Beach State 49ers at Galen Center on December 14, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 14: Boogie Ellis #5 and Drew Peterson #13 of the USC Trojans high five after a point gainst Long Beach State 49ers at Galen Center on December 14, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
USC Basketball Boogie Ellis Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
USC Basketball Boogie Ellis Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

The case for USC

The Trojans needed a big win, one to put at the top of their resume, right below their record. After losing by a single possession to UCLA earlier this season at Pauley Pavilion, USC got their win on Thursday.

The 13-point win by the Trojans wasn’t quite as dominant as the final score made it look – there were a lot of free throw shenanigans at the end of the game. But it’ll look all the same when the committee takes a look.

The Trojans don’t have a great NET ranking, not currently appearing in the Top 50 (as of Thursday). But the team has avoided losing to lesser competition. In games against teams ranging from Quad 2 down to Quad 4, USC is 12-2.

The selection committee isn’t afraid of limiting the amount of bids for a major conference, but the fact that USC is a top-three team in the Pac-12 does matter. So does the fact that they beat one of the top teams in the league, as well as both Utah and Arizona State; a win over Arizona later in the season would give the Trojans an inside track.

That win over the Sun Devils may prove important, too. There’s a world where both teams are battling for one of the final byes, or even a First Four spot. USC is 1-0 against Arizona State this season and could be 2-0 before the end of the regular season.

Home/USC Trojans