USC set to face Kansas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament
The last time that USC defeated Kansas, McDonald’s had just introduced the “Happy Meal” to the public in 1979. Now, head coach Andy Enfield and his squad have a chance to compete against the perennial powerhouse Monday night in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The sixth-seeded Trojans took care of business in the first round Saturday, defeating the eleventh-seeded Drake Bulldogs 72-56 despite only leading by three points at halftime. USC held Drake to just 29% shooting on the night, including an abysmal 19% in the second half. The Trojans will have to keep up the defensive pressure on Monday night if they hope to get past the third-seeded Jayhawks.
“We’ve been good all season [on defense], for the most part,” Enfield said. “I know we’ve lost a few games where our defense wasn’t where it needed to be, but tonight it was, and that’s what it takes in this tournament.”
Freshman forward Evan Mobley has been a major enforcer on the defensive end this season. His ability to be a deterrent at the rim and block shots has forced opponents to launch 3-pointers rather than drive to the paint. In the first round, Drake shot 23 3-pointers and connected on just seven, while Mobley added three blocks to his stats sheet.
“Mobley, as a freshman, has improved every week and every month of the season,” Enfield said. “He’s learned how to guard physical bigs, he’s learned how to guard athletic bigs, and also guys who have a lot of skills, like shot fakes.”
Mobley will have his hands full on Monday against a well-balanced Jayhawks squad that features four players who averaged double-digit scoring performances in the regular season. The Jayhawks will hope to get freshman forward Jalen Wilson back from coronavirus isolation before the game, as his tenacious rebounding has been imperative for this Kansas team all season.
Junior forward David McCormack made his return in Kansas’ win against Eastern Washington in the first round after his coronavirus isolation period came to an end. McCormack looked as though he hadn’t missed a beat, finishing the first round game with 22 points.
“[Kansas is] just exceptional — they have so much talent, they’re so experienced,” Enfield said. They have veterans at different positions. We’ll have to play a great game to have a chance to beat them on Monday.”
Enfield will look to become the first head coach in USC history to win four NCAA tournament games throughout his tenure. It won’t come easy — Kansas has the ability to go on quick runs and leave opponents in the dust.
“It’s going to be a great game, great matchup,” Mobley said. “They’re a great team, we’re a great team, so we’re just going to be locked in and try to get the win.”
The Trojans will face the Jayhawks Monday night in the Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. The victor will go on to face the winner of the Oregon-Iowa matchup. Tip-off is at 6:40 p.m.