USC left little doubt over the course of its record-breaking marketing campaign that it belonged once more within the NCAA event.
Twenty-six victories, particularly after a rare Elite Eight run final season, appeared sufficient to guarantee the Trojans received their due respect, advancing in consecutive years for the primary time since 2017.
USC obtained that invite as anticipated Sunday, incomes a No. 7 seed and a first-round assembly with No. 10 seed Miami (Fla.) on Friday in Greenville, S.C. Whether or not it received the respect it deserved after a file run by way of the common season nonetheless stays to be seen.
Andy Enfield spent many of the season defending USC’s resume, mentioning how his group was neglected or disrespected.
However after the 26-win Trojans heard their names referred to as as a seven seed on Sunday, there have been no gripes to be heard from the coach.
“The good factor is we’re within the event with 26 wins,” Enfield stated. “We’re not likely involved in regards to the seeding as a result of we have now no management over that. I’m simply actually pleased in regards to the progress of our group and the place we're at proper now.”
That progress hasn’t all the time been so clear in latest weeks, as USC misplaced three of 4 to complete out its season. Enfield was fast to level out Sunday that every of these three losses got here in opposition to both Arizona (No. 1 seed) or UCLA (No. 3 seed). Although, the remainder of its resume wasn’t precisely replete with signature wins.
Simply twice has USC beat groups within the event area (UCLA and San Diego State).
Miami hasn’t been essentially the most constant of event groups, both. Like USC, it began the season robust, capping a 13-3 begin with an upset win over Duke. Since, it hasn’t gained greater than three video games in a row.
Nonetheless, the Hurricanes practically upset Duke once more within the ACC event, reminding of how harmful their offense could be.
Whereas the Hurricanes rank fifth within the ACC in scoring (74.8 factors per recreation, they’re high 20 in effectivity in line with KenPom.
“We’re able to go,” USC wing Drew Peterson stated. “We’ll take a superb matchup. We’re excited the place we fell. We’ll take it recreation by recreation. It’s all you are able to do at this level.”
USC is at the least acquainted now with what it takes to win within the event, having gained three video games on its strategy to the Elite Eight. This time, it gained’t need to endure a bubble.
“It helps with expertise,” Isaiah Mobley stated. “Clearly, [last year] was slightly totally different. However simply take what we realized from final 12 months, simply take it recreation by recreation, actually hone in on the small print. You are concerned too far forward, you'll be able to simply lose.”
If USC manages to get previous Miami, the trail forward gained’t be straightforward. Auburn and its star freshman Jabari Smith probably loom within the spherical of 32.
“I’ve stated all season that the explanation we have now 26 wins is as a result of these guys have big-game expertise,” Enfield stated. “Half our wins are away from residence, which could be very distinctive. When you take a look at all the higher groups in faculty basketball, I noticed a pair groups have 20-something wins, they've six wins on the highway or seven wins on the highway.
“So we’ve been in a position to do it on the highway. Whenever you go into March Insanity, you need to go into a special area and you need to play in entrance of a special fan base and our guys are used to that.”
USC might have hassle convincing followers to comply with them to Greenville the place many of the area shall be Duke followers desirous to catch the final video games of legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski’s profession.
However the Trojans ought to have at the least one part to themselves, as ahead Chevez Goodwin returns residence to South Carolina for his swan tune at USC.
The sixth-year senior grew up in Columbia, S.C. about 100 miles southeast of Greenville.
He’d informed teammates earlier than the choice present how a lot he hoped for a homecoming. When USC’s identify was lastly referred to as Sunday, no Trojan was extra thrilled.
“He got here 3,000 miles away to return right here to high school, and we informed his household we’d schedule a recreation in South Carolina,” Enfield stated with amusing. “We lastly did.”
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