No. 17 USC’s next challenge is showing consistency
The Trojans, who host Washington on Thursday night, still need to prove they can be the same team from game to game
Adam Grosbard (OC Register) — LOS ANGELES — The USC men’s basketball team lifted a great weight off its shoulders Saturday with its 67-64 win over UCLA. The victory proved the Trojans could compete with the country’s best, even without leading scorer Isaiah Mobley, and moved USC up four spots in the AP poll to No. 17.
But Thursday’s home game against Washington (13-10, 8-5 in Pac-12) presents a different kind of challenge for USC (21-4, 10-4): getting up and motivated for a game that is not a premier matchup.
It’s not that the Huskies are slouches. At fifth place in the Pac-12, Washington deserves to be taken seriously, especially with guard Terrell Brown Jr. averaging 25.5 points over the past six games.
It’s just that this season, USC has not treated every game equally. Take the two close calls against 8-15 Arizona State, or last week’s six-point win over Pacific.
Early in the season, there was a sense USC was ahead of last year’s Elite Eight team in terms of chemistry. But midway through February, point guard and captain Ethan Anderson was unsure the Trojans were keeping pace with last year’s team in terms of consistency.
“This year, we lack urgency against every team we play. We go away from our identity from game to game,” Anderson said last week prior to the UCLA game. “And I know 100 percent when we play a big game against a team that’s ranked above us or expected to beat us, our guys are going to bring it. But we don’t really stay consistent with that approach to every single game.”
That was why the Pacific game left USC with such a sour taste in its mouth: The Trojans knew this had been a problem, and had a chance against a nonconference opponent to put it in the past, only to be trailing deep into the second half.
“We don’t come out with that same fire, that same focus,” Anderson said. “So this year we have shown clips where our chemistry is amazing, we’ve shown clips where it looks terrible. So right now we’re focused on getting it consistent. Once we get to that level, I think we can compete with anybody in the country, we can beat anybody in the country.”
Since the win over UCLA, guard Drew Peterson (13) has noticed an increase in the team’s morale at practice. And there is momentum toward Mobley’s return against Washington, with the power forward participating in shooting and non-contact drills Tuesday.
That would be a big development for USC, as would a full, 40-minute performance against the Huskies.
“I think we just need to get everyone on the same page and just focus on winning,” Trojans forward Chevez Goodwin said last week. “I think everybody focuses on different stuff that doesn’t really matter as a team. I think we just need to go out there and focus on winning as a team.”
WASHINGTON AT NO. 17 USC
When: Thursday, 8:30 p.m.
Where: Galen Center
TV/Radio: Pac-12 Network / 790 AM
ocregister.com
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Nice try!
With ASU’s headliner QB Jayden Daniels suddenly entering the wild, wild transfer portal, you have to wonder how much longer Herm Edwards will be wearing Sparky’s colors. Five asst coaches have already left the Sun Devils since the NCAA started snooping around. Just last December, Heisman candidate Daniels said he was coming back to ASU for his SR year. Things change, now faster than ever. Daniels was a 4-star QB and the No. 35 overall player in the 2019 class, from San Bernardino El Cajon, CA. This one should be interesting to watch. Daniels has thrown for 6,025 yds, 32 TDs… Read more »
To speculate, Caleb Williams coming to SC was a REALLY big deal. Caleb is now racking up huge NIL deals (he could easily make $3-5 million a year). Jayden has seen his team disintegrate around him. Because of Caleb and LR (and the new staff), combined with the total disintegration of the ASU staff, Daniels also knows that SC is a better team than ASU (as is Utah and UCLA). He has seen Jaxson Dart (who is not as good as Jayden) go to Miss and make a couple of million, AND De Lauria transfer to UofA. So, why would… Read more »
The bottom line is that USC’s hiring of LR at the exact moment that it did, is the greatest decision in the history of sports.
Totally agree. The way this is working out, LR’s hire clearly the best in SC football history and probably the best in all of collegiate sport history. He is the perfect leader to tap into the potential that exists only at SC. UCLA could have had it, but blew it. Caleb is tapping into NILs that DTR could only dream about. How about the UCLA DC hire? Talk about uninspiring. An also ran that was willing to work for $450,000 a year. Hell, Caleb will make a lot more than that! Look for UCLA to start shedding players very shortly.
I would imagine DTR feels like he just got sent to the closet.
Playing ball at UCLA now compared to USC is like being the opening act before The Who comes on stage with special guest Eric Clapton playing lead guitar for a 2022 rendition of Layla. Don’t ask me how Roger Daltry fits in here.
I really wish you would quit understating it so much.😂
It was just so fantastic, like hitting a Babe Ruthian Home Run to win a Series — but in this case, USC football was on the line like never before. Every passing day shows just how important it was to make the right change there. That was a close call for USC if there ever was one.
Nice logic.
B/R — ASU Trashes QB’s Locker 😬
‘He sucks anyways’: Arizona St. players are not happy after Jayden Daniels enters transfer portal 🎥
bleacherreport.com
Wow! They feel betrayed and took out their frustration on Daniels. The 2022 ASU team looks to be in real trouble. If they are looking for scapegoats NOW, think of what it will be like when the team starts losing.
I’m very curious to see where Daniels lands, and how long it takes, as well as with who ASU ropes in to replace his good talent.
They originally left Spencer Rattler alone while in the portal because Daniels assured ASU he was returning in early Dec.
I can only imagine what the recent portal transfers into ASU are thinking right now. They got a few pretty good players including a big DL from Miami and an OL from Penn St.
You think Daniels was informed that things are going go downhill at ASU real soon? Wonder if they have any O linemen coming out to the portal?
The AD used to be Herms agent & has run interference for him from the beginning. How long does he last?
This whole thing about ASU blatantly recruiting illegally and ignoring Covid restrictions stunk to high heaven from the very beginning.
The Sun Devils are toast now, in part because Herm wasn’t dumped months ago. They’ve just stretched out the torture, on a very small scale compared to what USC did with The Cat for many years.
What you say is true. Plus, ASU does not have the advantages SC has nor does it have the legacy. So digging their way out of the deep mess they are in might be harder than the rebuild SC has.
USC’s DeMar DeRozan (’08-09; chose Trojans over ASU and UNC) breaks Wilt’s record as Bulls beat Kings 125-118 CHICAGO (AP) — “DeMar DeRozan‘s spectacular run is now one for the NBA record book. “DeRozan scored 38 points in breaking a mark set by Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain, and the Chicago Bulls beat the Sacramento Kings 125-118 on Wednesday night. “DeRozan, who made 16 of 27 field goals, became the first player in NBA history to score 35 or more points and shoot 50% or better in seven consecutive games. Chamberlain did it in six straight twice – during the 1960-61 and 1962-63 seasons.… Read more »
USC’s Caleb Williams strikes NIL deal with real estate private equity fund Ryan Kartje (LA Times) — “His high-profile transfer to USC marked a potentially transformative moment in the new age of name, image and likeness, and in the three weeks since his arrival, Caleb Williams has already made waves in that world, announcing a major deal with Beats by Dre, inking a licensing agreement with Fanatics, helping soft-launch an alkaline water brand and becoming a part-owner of a modern men’s grooming company. “But his latest partnership may be the most unique in the star quarterback’s growing portfolio. “Williams has entered into a long-term… Read more »
Huh, a college player getting paid up front on the possibility of future deals. Reggie Bush, a man 17 years ahead of his time! 😉 Of course, you got to play by the current rules.
Does that mean the parents can’t make the deal 70 miles away from the student and benefit from the proceeds? This also brings up the question about what type of company can have a student on their payroll?
The parents no longer have to be a buffer between the player and the money. Any company as long as they follow local, state and federal employment guidelines can hire a student. I wonder how California’s strict independent contractor rules apply to NIL and college athletes.
Four of ten from Cali, Two from LA (state, not city😄). GA, AL,TX & MI fill out the list. Interesting and illuminating.
I cannot figure out why there are not 5 star linemen coming out of CA. Is it the high school coaches, the genes in people in Ca, or what is it?
Too many generations of wokeness have bred any “big ole country boy” bloodlines out of California stock.😂
I think in California, you’re viewed as on your way to an early grave if you weigh 300+ pounds in HS.
In other parts of the country, you’re simply viewed as prime cut for the trenches in a college football stadium somewhere.
Just a theory.
i wonder is SC’s return will change that view. Large athletic OL and DL can now make a small fortune at SC. Caleb is now the best advertisement for SC football in the last decade. Why wouldn’t an OL or a DL want to be part of that?
I think this “health thing” in California runs pretty deep. That’s based on those I know who won’t or wouldn’t allow their kids to play contact football for various reasons, and want their kids steered towards competitive sports that keep you in shape but not becoming huge enough to play OL or DL in college. But LR says Calif has all the guys he needs. I think when you are LR, you can say things like that, and even be believed. But that’s what’s so great about having a guy like LR. You just know he’ll find and sign the… Read more »
Agreed. Shouldn’t be too difficult to recruit the trenches once things get rolling. Can you imagine what NIL deals Maualuga, Cushing and Matthews would’ve gotten? How about LoJack, Sed Ellis, M. Patterson, Cushing, W. Justice, Baker, Matua, Kalil, W. Justice, Rucker, etc.? (yes, I know a few are LBs, but you get the point, talent will come at all positions, not just skill)
Of those 10, Arch Manning would be my last choice. So many distractions are going to come with him. His grandfather(remember the Eli-Chargers debacle), his uncles, second guessing his college coaches, Heismen spec., on and on. SC and LR got the right choice. Great talent, local, no spotlight.