Trojans wrap up surprising season


If I had been told entering the 2015-2016 basketball season that USC would win 20 games, go .500 in conference play and sweep UCLA, I would have been ecstatic. With the regular season in the books following the loss to Oregon, USC has accomplished all three of those things, putting together a resume that should allow them to go dancing.

Although the back half of conference play was somewhat disappointing as the Trojans faltered down the stretch, a comprehensive evaluation would indicate that the season on the whole was a resounding success.

After the dominating victory over UCLA at the Galen Center, it felt as if USC was on top of the world and that they would continue their strong play and vie for the Pac 12 title. So with these adjusted expectations, many would be frustrated by their 2-6 finish down the stretch. However, just by taking a step back and remembering how low expectations were entering the season, it’s abundantly clear that this USC team should be applauded for their efforts.

This is not a team without their flaws. The last few weeks of  Pac-12 play have demonstrated that the team needs better interior defense and more consistent rebounding. Additionally, it would help the Trojans to get physically stronger across the board. Junior forward Nikola Jovanovic has come a long way since his freshman year in terms of strength, but he could still improve if he stays for his senior campaign.

The dynamic freshmen duo of Chemezie Metu and Bennie Boatwright would also be wise to hit the weight room this offseason and bulk up a bit. Metu has gotten by on incredible leaping ability and surprisingly nimble ball skills, but to really become an impact forward, he needs to put on some more weight.

Boatwright showed immense promise from the outside and is a matchup nightmare, but he too struggles with rebounding. As a guard in a forward’s body, he just doesn’t look fluid underneath when attempting to box out other big men in the conference.

It’s no surprise then that the Trojans struggled against the top teams with good post play. Arizona, Stanford, Utah and Cal all boast formidable inside presence and USC needs an intense 3-point attack to counter their deficiencies inside. They weren’t able to achieve that in many of those games, one of the main factors in their losses.

Against Oregon, the Trojans just lost to a better team. Both times they played the Ducks they shot poorly, partially attributable to coach Dana Altman’s defensive scheme. The team isn’t quite at the top tier of the conference yet, but the Trojans are moving in that direction.

Even though they might not be as good as the Utes, Ducks, Bears or Wildcats this year, USC does deserve a spot in the NCAA tournament. That on its own is a tremendous feather in the cap of head coach Andy Enfield and the Trojans. They can solidify their status with a third win against UCLA in the opening round of the Pac-12 tournament — a second or third win would be even better.

The Trojans exceeded all expectations this year and their player development was chiefly responsible. Sophomore guard Jordan McLaughlin and junior guards Julian Jacobs and Katin Reinhardt were all markedly improved from last year. The shooting across the board was better as was the scheme and in game decisions by Enfield. This is a program on the rise; they just need to sustain their positive momentum and progress.

The team has another great recruiting class on the way and will be further bolstered by the eligibility of Shaquaan Aaron, but to reach the pinnacle of the Pac-12 conference they need to get better inside. Their only forward-center recruit is Harrison Henderson, who is tall and lanky, but doesn’t quite have the physical makeup yet to compete inside.

Hopefully the team can hit the weight room hard this summer and come out improved, taking the next step in rebounding and interior defense to be commensurate with their shooting and passing improvement from this season. The Trojans’ pace-and-space offense doesn’t require lumbering and rugged big men, but some more size and strength without sacrificing athleticism would do wonders for the team.

For now, I am more than content with watching this team in the Pac-12 conference and hopefully in the NCAA tournament. It was truly an awesome season witnessing the birth of a winning program.

Jake Davidson is a junior majoring in accounting. His column “Davidson’s Direction” runs Mondays.