The more times I get called an “oldhead” or an “unc” by members of the copy staff in particular, the more I realize that my days as a part of this paper are almost over. I still remember filling out my first staff application in my Birnkrant dorm room, and now I’m currently writing my 100th solo-byline for the Daily Trojan.

Wild.

Unfortunately for Sports Editor Henry Mode, I’m not done yet. His rival column to mine has finally hit its second edition, almost a personal record for number of columns written in a semester for him. He did skip the original day his column was supposed to run last week, but that’s OK. We both know I live rent free in his head. 

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Did he spend the first 305 words of his article just talking about me instead of getting to the main points of his article? Yes, yes he did. Did he, instead of letting me edit his article Monday — as I do with every sports article on the days I work — separately message everyone else to edit it because he was scared to let me see the article before it was published? Yes, yes he did.

I, too, would be as nervous as Mode if I was in his position. Nonetheless, we shall see what his “masterful” take is on this one — if he even publishes it in time. 

However, one thing Mode and I can surely both agree on is that this year’s USC women’s basketball team (25-2, 15-1 Big Ten) is one of the best Trojan teams ever. They’re the No. 4 team in the country, and they have eight ranked wins, including against No. 3 UCLA (27-1, 16-1) and No. 5 UConn (27-3, 17-0 Big East).

USC is definitively in the upper echelon of teams in women’s basketball this year, and the Trojans are vying to improve on their Elite Eight run from last season. Many are saying this  could be a national championship season, and at times I’ve agreed.

But to me, it doesn’t seem like they’re at those heights.

They beat undefeated UCLA, but it also took an other-worldly, record-breaking performance from sophomore guard JuJu Watkins. The Trojans have two ranked wins in their last two games, but the scoreboards don’t tell the full story.

Against Michigan State (20-8, 10-7) and Illinois (21-7, 11-6 Big Ten), USC had leads throughout the game but stumbled late and escaped with victories. What worries me is the team’s difficulty with putting together four quarters of complete basketball. 

USC has a very skilled roster and, against 99% of teams, their talent alone can win them games. But against top teams in elimination games, it’s going to take more than that.

The Trojans can’t afford to have a poor Watkins shooting night, or to ease off the brakes in the final 10 minutes of the game. To be a championship team, you have to be really good — if not great — for a full 40 minutes, with consistent contributions from your top four players.

As we’ve seen this season, anybody can lose to anybody on every given night. A lot of basketball still remains to be played for the Trojans to prove themselves as legitimate contenders. They have a rematch on Saturday against the Bruins, and likely another matchup in the Big Ten Tournament with their crosstown rivals.

USC needs to show it can play a complete game. There is always a chance the Trojans can squeak away from some teams in the tournament. But I doubt they can do that multiple times against the Bruins again or against any of the other top six teams.

To be a Final Four team — to be a championship team — you have to be near perfect when it gets to this part of the calendar. This USC team 1,000% has the capability and the talent to do just that.

But right now, I’m at the very most, cautiously optimistic about these Trojans. A dominant showing this weekend and in the Big Ten Tournament would help move the needle for me. It will take until at least the middle weeks of March, however, for me to be fully confident that they are championship-bound.

Stefano Fendrich is a senior writing about his opinions on some of sports’ biggest debates in his column, “The Great Debate,” which runs every other Friday. He is also the editor in chief at the Daily Trojan.