Road to March Madness: Men’s basketball has two huge games on the horizon


As February arrives, we are only six weeks away from the greatest postseason tradition in sports. Welcome to the first week of “Road to March Madness.”

When Evan Mobley left last season for the NBA draft, I did not imagine the potential that this year’s USC team has shown in the last two months. The Trojans currently rank No. 19 in the AP poll and previously ranked No. 5, the highest since the 1974 season.

While that rank did not last, it is a sign of the Trojans’ unexpectedly high ceiling this season. 

That being said, I felt an aura of skepticism amongst the fans shuffling into their seats when USC played UC Berkeley Saturday. 

Three tough Pac-12 losses left some questioning whether the Trojans were the real deal or just haven’t been challenged enough for their once undefeated record to ever have been legitimate.

Nonetheless, they took care of the Golden Bears handily, reminding fans of how talented they could be, but underscoring in a few key areas could hurt them down the road.

Free throws have been far from “free” for the Trojans this season. USC is currently ranked a staggering 340th in the nation from the charity stripe. At 63.73%, teams can purposely foul shooters with way less concern about them converting at the line. 

This issue came to light in the Stanford game, when junior forward Isaiah Mobley had a chance to tie the game with 2 free throws and missed the second. Stanford would complete its first season sweep against USC in seven seasons. 

This year’s Trojan squad is very physical on the defensive end, putting up high block numbers on opponents and shutting down the paint. However, if they cannot confidently take contact on offense and convert at the line, they are going to have a hard time against some of their Pac-12 foes that currently seem unstoppable. 

As USC irons out some of their fundamental concerns, Arizona and UCLA have been building impressive resumes. 

Arizona and UCLA are ranked No. 7 and No. 3 in the AP poll, respectively, and have shown few signs of weakness. The Trojans will face the Wildcats Saturday in a game that should provide valuable insight on where USC stands. 

Arizona Head Coach Tommy Lloyd is one of the brightest offensive minds in college basketball. Ranking No. 3 in the nation, the Wildcats’ fast-paced offensive scheme will be difficult, but not insurmountable, for the Trojan defense to manage. 

UCLA, on the other hand, is developing a reputation for their suffocating defense. Their full court press subdued Stanford just two days after they defeated USC. Deemed the “press that panics them all,” by Sports Illustrated in 1965, the press was credited for winning UCLA two championships in 1964 and 1965. 

USC has talented ball handlers but has suffered with turnovers at some points this season. Against Stanford, they struggled to keep possession, giving up 14 turnovers. However, they were able to turn it around against Cal, only coughing up the ball four times.

Ball handlers like junior guards Boogie Ellis and Ethan Anderson must stay vigilant when they face the Bruins. 

The Trojans have some work to do, but they undoubtedly have a fighting chance to upset Arizona and UCLA, improving their Selection Sunday stock in the process.

Checking on some possible Trojan postseason opponents outside the Pac-12, Kansas and Gonzaga come to mind. 

Gonzaga, the team that knocked USC out of the Elite Eight last season, ranks No. 2 in the nation with the current best offense in the NCAA, led by junior forward Drew Timme. 

The Trojans could face Gonzaga again in the Elite Eight or sooner. 

The recent ESPN Bracketology predicts that USC will once again fall within the same region as Kansas, a team that the Trojans steamrolled during the round of 32 last season. 

Kansas has improved since last season by many measures, and a matchup against this team could be one of the most entertaining of the year.

Kansas senior Ochai Abgaji is one of the best shooting guards in the country and might be a tough matchup for the Trojans. Conversely, Kansas would not have a clear answer for senior guard Drew Peterson. 

Based on recent trends, I think USC will be a No. 5 seed in the West, with a matchup against Gonzaga looming in the Elite Eight once again. 

Admittedly, even with all of this is speculation, USC could face completely different teams. The postseason is still over a month away, and performance against Arizona and UCLA in the next couple weeks will speak volumes about the Trojans’ March Madness potential. 

Ethan Horowitz is a sophomore writing about USC men’s basketball’s path towards the NCAA Tournament. His column “Road to March Madness,” runs every other Wednesday.