USC prepares for two games over break

After a thrilling 2-point victory against Texas A&M in College Station last Friday, USC men’s basketball has two opportunities at home to extend its undefeated start to the season this Thanksgiving week.

On Tuesday night, the Trojans challenge the New Orleans Privateers at the Galen Center. The Privateers (1-2) are a high volume 3-point shooting team. They make 6.7 3s-per-game at a clip of 36.4 percent. The Privateers are also proficient defenders, averaging 9.3 steals per game and 3.7 blocks per game. However, although they have forced 17 turnovers per game  they have also committed 16 per game this season. USC will have to start and finish the game composed, dictating the pace of the game and overcoming the Privateers’ pressure.

“Anytime you have offensive talent, your (opponent) is dangerous,” Enfield said. “We need to play the same type of defense we have been — holding teams to under 40 percent from the field and rebounding.”

In the Privateers’ first game versus a power conference team, they were blown out at Oklahoma State, 117-72. They allowed an astonishing 68 first half points, and OSU scored 31 points off of turnovers.

If the Trojans can showcase their transition offense on Tuesday night, they can experience their first run-away game. However, three close games in a row has shown that nothing can be taken for granted with this young team.

USC’s biggest test of the young season is on Friday night versus Southern Methodist. The Mustangs have won three of four to start the year, including a win versus Pitt. However, SMU followed that win with a deflating 22 point loss to Michigan. Michigan hit 13 3-point shots against SMU at a rate of 41 percent — an incredible performance. On offense on Friday night, look for USC to try to emulate Michigan’s success by scoring prolifically from beyond the arc.

The Trojans will also have to shut down 6”7’, 235-pound  forward Semi Ojeleye, a Duke transfer, who is averaging 20 points, nine rebounds and four assists in his first several games as a Mustang. Ojeleye has an NBA-ready body and skills to go along with his physicality. He can hit an open three, rarely turns the ball over and can rebound especially well for a wingman. He will definitely cause matchup problems for the Trojans, who have many long wingmen but no one who can match his physicality.

SMU’s fatal flaw is its lack of size. The Mustangs are deep at guard and small forward, but only Australian freshman Harry Froling is taller than Ojeleye. Froling has played fewer than 15 minutes per game this year, averaging only 3 points.

USC’s big men will have to overcome their early season woes to give the Trojans a victory on Friday. Redshirt senior forward Charles Buggs will have to score off the bench and freshman forward Nick Rakocevic cannot continue to put himself in early foul trouble. Metu will have to score more efficiently, and Boatwright will have to quickly shake off his offseason rust.

Speed and perimeter play are the hallmarks of USC’s game, but on Friday night, SMU might be superior in length and athleticism. USC must put forth a great effort on the boards, at the line and from behind the arc this week to remain undefeated.

Friday’s win against a power conference team in Texas A&M on the road was an impressive testament to the Trojan’s talent. No doubt, the victory will help the team’s resume come March.

“To get a win like that means a lot to our program early in the season,” head coach Andy Enfield said. “We hope that win means something down the road, but we have to get a lot better.”

The win certainly was not pretty, and USC must continue to improve to win both of this week’s match-ups. Sophomore forward Chimeze Metu identifies slow starts as a problem.

“Once we get deeper into the season, teams are going to be a lot better, and they’re going to keep the lead,” Metu said. “We need to be focused at the start of games and stay focused.”

So far this season, the Trojan offense has started slow in every game and then sputtered at the beginning of each second half. The team shot a meager 35.8 percent on Friday and an abysmal 5-26 from 3-point range, even with sophomore forward Bennie Boatwright making his season debut.

USC is shooting 25 percent from three this season, a 13 percent drop from last year. The Trojans hope this number is low because of a limited three game sample.

Another takeaway from last Friday’s win was Melton’s clutch performance. The freshman has helped his team immediately.

“It means a lot that the coaches trust me to contribute right away, to close off games and to play freely,” Melton said.

He hopes playing freely will enable the offense to come alive this week.

Tuesday night’s game tips off at 6 p.m., while Friday’s contest starts at 4 p.m.