NCAA Digest


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Location for USC, Kansas game still unknown

Though USC will take on perennial basketball powerhouse Kansas next season, one thing has yet to be determined: where the game will be played.

USC is set to host the game per a home-and-home agreement, but Kansas coach Bill Self confirmed last week the Trojans asked the game be moved from Los Angeles to the 15,000-seat Intrust Arena in Wichita, Kan., — a sure sellout in Jayhawk territory.

Regardless of the game’s location, USC would still act as the home team and gate proceeds would go to the Trojans.

Earlier Tuesday, however, additional reports surfaced that plans to move the game to the Midwest had fallen through.

“Trojans planning to host Kansas on Dec. 22; and, also, the proposed game with Duke is off, sources say. Plans fell through,” tweeted Los Angeles Times reporter Baxter Holmes.

Neither school has made an announcement about the location of the game.

USC last played the Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kan., on Dec. 18 of last year, where the Trojans fell just short of an upset, losing to the then-No. 3 Kansas team 70-68.

The Trojans, who will also take on North Carolina during the upcoming season, were trying to schedule a game against Duke, giving USC three high-profile, non-conference opponents.

—Kate Mather

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Women’s rowing off to strong start

The No. 9 USC women’s rowing team started its season off on the right foot with a winning weekend at the San Diego Crew Classic, as both the varsity eight and varsity four boats captured titles.

For USC’s varsity eight, the victory was its third Jessop-Whittier title overall and first since 2007.

USC also captured the inaugural Karen Plumleigh Cortney Cup, taking first place in the Collegiate 4+ Grand Final.

The Women of Troy’s second varsity eight and second varsity four also had solid showings. The second varsity eight took third place in the Collegiate 2V Grand final, placing ahead of Wisconsin, Washington State and UCLA. Meanwhile, the Second Varsity Four took home the petite final of the collegiate fours race.

“The team is coming along,” USC coach Zenon Babraj told USCTrojans.com. “They were very focused today, staying within the boat and executing the tactics we’ve been working on. We had a good day, but it’s early in the season and there is still a lot of racing between now and NCAA’s.”

—Trevor Wong

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Tex Winter elected to Hall of Fame

Basketball mastermind and former USC hoops star Fred “Tex” Winter has been, at long last, inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Monday.

During his senior year at USC in 1947, Winter played basketball for the Trojans alongside fellow Hall of Famer’s Alex Hannum and Bill Sharman.

Following graduation, Winter kick-started his coaching career, landing an assistant coach position at Kansas State. He then went on to coaching positions at Marquette, Kansas State, Washington, Northwestern and Long Beach State, as well as an NBA coaching job with the Houston Rockets.

Winter is credited with creating the famed triangle offense, which the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers utilized on their way to a combined nine NBA titles. He is also credited with mentoring legendary coaches Doug Collins and Phil Jackson.

Winter served as an assistant coach on the Chicago Bulls from 1985 to 1998 before following Jackson to the Lakers where he worked from 1999 to 2008. In total, Winter has more than 60 years of coaching experience at the collegiate and NBA levels.

Winter is set to be inducted Aug. 12 with 10 other basketball legends, including Dennis Rodman, Chris Mullin and Artis Gilmore. After falling just short of induction seven times, Winter will be enshrined in Springfield at the age of 89.

“It’s about time. It’s very well deserved,” said Lakers guard Kobe Bryant. “I’m beyond happy for him. It’s exciting, a little past due, but better late than never.”

—Ross Dautel