No. 16 USC still trying to reach offensive ceiling

Adam Grosbard (OC Register)  —  Thursday’s 94-91 double-overtime win over Oregon State was an important benchmark for No. 16 USC. The Trojans won their 24th game, tying their all-time regular-season record, and fifth in a row. More importantly, USC clinched a first-round bye for the Pac-12 Tournament.

But the win was also a reminder of the room USC still has to grow on offense.

The Trojans actually shot the ball pretty well against the Beavers, especially without scoring guard Boogie Ellis, who missed the game with an ankle injury. Max Agbonkpolo and Ethan Anderson took advantage of the extra opportunities to combine for 28 points and Reese Dixon-Waters added 14 off the bench.

But 17 turnovers leading to 25 Oregon State points kept USC from closing the win out in regulation, instead needing 10 extra minutes to dispatch the Pac-12’s last-place team.

It was the second game in a row in which the offense held USC back in spite of a win. Last week, it was the Trojans’ poor ball movement with just eight assists against Washington State.

The reasons vary, but offensive consistency has been one of the few shortcomings for this 24-4 USC team.

“Our ceiling has certainly not been reached offensively,” head coach Andy Enfield said Wednesday. “We have a lot of growth to do at times.”

To be clear: This type of nitpicking is a sign of how Enfield and USC have raised the bar around the program in recent years. It wasn’t long ago that these types of shortcomings would have sunk USC, but this team has learned how to scrap out wins when necessary.

“You’re not going to have your ‘A’ game every night,” Enfield said. “And when you don’t have your ‘A’ game, that usually separates the teams at the top of the standings and elsewhere because the teams at the top of the standings find ways to win games and close games.”

But USC’s players believe this team is capable of outdoing last year’s Elite Eight run. And if they are to achieve that, the Trojans need to show consistency on both sides of the ball.

There are three games left in the regular season before the Pac-12 Tournament. USC will play the other top-four teams in the conference, starting with Oregon (18-10, 11-6 in Pac-12) on Saturday and Arizona and UCLA next week, before the postseason commences. This is the time for USC to work out the kinks in the offense before the games start to matter.

“Even though our offense at times this year has been very good, sometimes like the other night it was a little stagnant,” Enfield said. “There has to be more consistency on a game-to-game basis.”

USC AT OREGON

When: Saturday, 7 p.m.

Where: Matthew Knight Arena, Eugene, Oregon

TV/Radio: ESPN2 / 790 AM

ocregister.com

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