Discombobulated Trojans Search For Answers

USC continues exploration for crunch-time identity with disappointing season waning

The Trojans lost yet another tight game on Thursday night, fully collapsing against WSU on the road, and face Washington on Saturday

USC guard Isaiah Collier drives against Washington State forward Andrej Jakimovski during the second half on Thursday night in Pullman, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)
Frosh Trojan guard Isaiah Collier drives against WSU forward Andrej Jakimovski during the second half on Thursday night in Pullman, Wash. USC lost 75-72. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)

Luca Evans (OC Register)  —  They crumbled in the short span of 30 seconds in Pullman, a thorough systematic failure that summated the crunch-time identity of a USC basketball team that has never quite had one.

With two minutes left in a fantastic effort against Washington State, down by one after leading against a surging program for much of the night Thursday, Isaiah Collier and Kobe Johnson and Boogie Ellis tossed the ball around the perimeter with all the intensity of a YMCA rec-league run. There seemed to be no offensive plan, outside of center Joshua Morgan attempting to seal 6-foot-3 guard Myles Rice, quickly blown up when Rice fronted the post. And with the shot clock winding down, Ellis stared daggers into Collier’s eyes in the weak-side corner, floating a duck of a pass that was easily picked off by the Cougars’ Jaylen Wells.

It got irreparably worse. As Washington State slowed the pace in transition and USC matched up, Morgan picked up Rice, well beyond the 3-point line. Johnson came over, motioning for him to switch. Morgan appeared to not hear. And by the time USC’s center realized what was happening and rushed to contest, Rice had already fired a pass to an indefensibly wide-open Wells on the wing for a nail-in-the-coffin 3-pointer.

This USC season, head coach Andy Enfield said before last weekend’s victory over UCLA, has refreshed his “hatred of losing.” It has come in a particularly cruel fashion. USC is 11-17 overall and 5-12 in Pac-12 play; the Trojans are 4-10 in games decided by 10 points or less, and 0-3 in overtime. His program, Enfield has said repeatedly, is not used to losing such close games.

“We’ve lost a variety of ways this year,” Enfield said last week. “But, what it reminds us all of, is the margin of error at this level is so small. And you have to defend at the highest level to have a chance to make March Madness and advance.”

By mid-February, as DJ Rodman said last week, the sobering realization had set in for USC that their late regular-season games were really just “stepping stones” to the Pac-12 tournament.

“We’re playing for that Pac-12 tournament,” Rodman said then, “and these games moving forward are just … build-up to the Pac-12 tournament.”

The problem: USC has taken few real steps since.

The Trojans looked like a different team, a tougher team, in the rivalry win against UCLA last weekend, punctuated by a physicality and an effort on the glass that drove Bruins coach Mick Cronin into such a frustration that reporters could rarely get in questions across lengthy tangents. USC is, physically, a different team, Enfield pointing out in nearly every media session the relief it’s been to simply have a full team back practicing after a slew of decimating midseason injuries.

But they have been too often unable to execute in crunch time, with or without Collier and Ellis and Morgan. Missed free throws (the program now sits at 68% from the foul line on the year). Turnovers. Defensive breakdowns.

Despite their record, USC has been competitive with a slew of Pac-12 programs in the past several months, from UCLA to Oregon to Colorado; if the Trojans’ status as the 11th seed in the conference stands pat with just three games to play, it’s entirely feasible they could avoid Washington State and Arizona until the semifinals of the conference tournament.

But a somewhat favorable path to the final in Vegas won’t matter if USC’s ugliest flaws continue to rear their head in crunch time.

USC (11-17 overall, 5-12 Pac-12) AT UW (16-13, 8-10)

Saturday, 1 p.m., Hec Edmundson Pavilion, Seattle, Wash., CBS (Ch. 2)/790 AM

ocregister.com

___________

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Golden Trojan
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Golden Trojan
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March 4, 2024 12:21 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Winning the Pac12 tournament will likely require beating #4 in the nation Stanford. Any of the 3 would deserve a 1 seed with the other two getting a 2 seed.

Trojanfanatic
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March 4, 2024 8:08 am

Appears we have our new RB coach.

Jamaica
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Jamaica
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March 4, 2024 9:21 am
Reply to  Trojanfanatic

Good news fanatic

Jamaica
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Jamaica
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March 3, 2024 12:11 pm

If Anthony Jones Jr is LR’s choice for RB coach, something must be holding up the hiring? Or is there another name possibility?

Steveg
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Steveg
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March 4, 2024 6:51 am
Reply to  Jamaica

I don’t know what the hold up is but if they land Jones, they will be getting a good one.

Steveg
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Steveg
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March 4, 2024 7:58 am
Reply to  Jamaica

Hey Jam, it appears to be very close to announcement. now it sounds like a done deal.

Jamaica
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Jamaica
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March 4, 2024 9:19 am
Reply to  Steveg

Thanks Steveg

illinoisusc
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illinoisusc
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March 3, 2024 9:28 am

Well, at least USC is not playing Purdue this year with Edney being a 21 year old and 7’4″. Illinois will have a fun time Tuesday against them. He moves ok for a big guy.
Unfortunately the game is on Peacock and I don’t have that one.
The conference ought to be fun next year.

Tirebitter
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Tirebitter
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March 2, 2024 9:39 am

College Basketball is a changing sport. Now we see the negative impact of the “one and dones.” Only Coach K could field a team of three year players and compete for NCs. But, even he, caved in at the end of his coaching. It’s a shame that these players are even admitted to a university, whose primary goal is education. They add nothing and do not build a legacy of any sort at the university they are supposed to represent. In fact, like OJ Mayo, many leave a very negative legacy.

Jamaica
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Jamaica
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March 2, 2024 10:25 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

The saving grace for CFB is the physical mental development needed playing in the NFL.

Golden Trojan
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Golden Trojan
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March 2, 2024 12:21 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Allen I can’t remember the last time I watched the NFL combine. The combine, All Star Games and Minor Bowl Games(except for my schools) are must avoid TV. The only bowl games that matter are the playoff games. Now don’t get me wrong, I treasure all of USC’s FB NCs, but you have to admit most were annointed by committee. I much prefer the current earn your Natty on the field over the old days.

Oh and in SoCal, winning will bring fans. SDSU FB and USC MBB crickets, SDSU MBB USC FB and WBB are packed.

Jamaica
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Jamaica
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March 2, 2024 10:15 am
Reply to  Tirebitter

One & Done in CBB has not only lowered the quality of its basketball but has affected the NBA game. Defense is rarely played and there is little patience dealing with these 19-20 year olds who can’t adapt to specific game plans.

Golden Trojan
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Golden Trojan
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March 2, 2024 12:11 pm
Reply to  Jamaica

Lots of teams, the good ones anyway, play good defense. Teams like SDSU MBB have always played good defense. One and doners, Transfer Portal guys and NIL make it a challenge to build team work. But the teams that go far in BB and FB will always play good defense and have a deep bench. That will never change.

TrojanRon
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TrojanRon
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March 2, 2024 4:15 am

USC Basketball has been a huge disappointment all season starting with the losses to UC Irvine and Long Beach State last Fall. The team is loaded with talent, but HC Andy Enfield just can’t produce a team that wins close games. The Trojans are horrible at the free throw line which has puzzled me since Enfield was one of the best free throw shooters in college basketball history when he played for Johns Hopkins in the early 1990s. The fact that he can’t coach something that he was very good at tells me that he’s mediocre at best. If it… Read more »

TrojanRon
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March 5, 2024 2:34 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Allen: I appreciate your thorough and thoughtful reply. I agree that the women are entertaining to watch and are bringing national recognition to the University. Not a week goes by where ESPN doesn’t have a segment on Juju. She has brought back the excitement that Cheryl Miller created in her time. I’ll never forget going to one of the women’s games when Cheryl burst on to the scene. I had read about her in the LA Times and how she grew up playing against guys, including her brother Reggie. Seeing her shoot a jump shot like a guy when most… Read more »

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