Men’s basketball prepares for Vanderbilt’s talented freshmen

The men’s basketball team looks to start its season 2-0 when they play  Vanderbilt University at the Galen Center on Sunday. The Commodores finished near the bottom of the Southeastern Conference last season with a 12-20 record, but they seem poised for a bounce-back effort.

Vanderbilt is 1-0 after defeating Winthrop 92-79 at home on Tuesday. The Commodores played a well-rounded offensive game, shooting over 50 percent from the field, making 10 3-pointers and shooting 20 free throws.

“To have a chance to defeat a very good team like Vanderbilt we have to defend at a high level, limit second shots and then we have to get out in transition ourselves,” head coach Andy Enfield said.

Enfield listed athleticism, agility and 3-point shooting as the Commodores’ strengths.

“They’re a different team than they were last year,” Enfield said of Vanderbilt, who the Trojans defeated 93-89 in overtime a season ago. “They’re younger, but they’re much more athletic and fast.”

Vanderbilt was led by two five-star freshmen in guard Darius Garland and center Simisola Shittu. Garland shot 9-of-15 from the floor and 3-of-7 from 3-point distance to lead the team in scoring with 24 points while adding four assists. Shittu was a strong inside presence, racking up 18 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 6-of-12 from the field and 6-of-9 from the free throw line.

Garland and Shittu, along with four-star forward Aaron Nesmith, make up one of the best recruiting classes in Vanderbilt’s history. The Trojans will have to key in on this group that ranked as the No. 13 recruiting class in the nation this season. Enfield emphasized the players’ athleticism and offensive aggression.

Redshirt junior forward Matt Ryan also presents the Trojans with issues. At 6-foot-8 and 209 pounds, Ryan has the height to survive as a big man and the shooting stroke to punish slower defenders, as evidenced by his 4-of-11 mark from long range against Winthrop. Ryan demonstrated his propensity to get hot by making three straight 3s in the first half. He could be a problem for Trojan big men junior Nick Rakocevic and sophomore Victor Uyaelunmo.

“They’re a great 3-point shooting team,” Aaron said. “Keeping them off, running guys off the 3-point line, and just playing [defense].”

The Trojans battled through a slow start to defeat Robert Morris 83-62 on Tuesday and open their campaign with a win. After a stagnant offense and inconsistent defense led to a 4-point deficit in the second half, the Trojans finished the frame on a 34-9 run with improved cohesion and ball movement.

“Our team is still a work in progress. We have two key players who are injured, and we have a lot of players who are trying to get a feel for their role on the team, as well as to learn our system, especially some of the younger players,” Enfield said. “So our veterans did a great job helping us to win this game, but we’re going to need everybody as we move forward to improve.”

On the injury front, Enfield listed senior forward Bennie Boatwright as day-to-day as he continues to recover from his knee injury. Freshman guard Elijah Weaver practiced for the first time since August on Thursday, and Enfield also listed him as day-to-day.

The Trojans already have a star freshman in guard Kevin Porter, who contributed 15 points and five rebounds on 6-of-7 shooting against the Colonials. Even as the team was struggling to get good looks, Porter showcased his ability to create shots in isolation opportunities, a key trait for this team’s potential.

“He’s incredible. He’s got the whole package,” Rakocevic said of Porter. “He’s a ball-handler, he can shoot it, he’s got a 45-inch vertical, maybe higher. He’s fast, he’s quick, he can play defense. I think he’s a big part of our team this year.”

This will be an interesting test for the Trojans in the early season. It’s too soon to know how impressive an opponent Vanderbilt is, but the Commodores certainly have talent. USC will need to play much more like the team fans saw in the second half against Robert Morris than the first half version if it wants to come away victorious.

“I’m not really worried about [the game],” Rakocevic said. “We have guys who like working hard, things like that, playing defense. If we can just focus on playing defense, running the floor and doing the little things that we do we’re going to be a really good team.”

The Trojans tip off against the Commodores at the Galen Center at 6 p.m.  Sunday.