Over the past 36 years, a lot of players have come through the USC men’s basketball program. Top picks like O.J. Mayo and Onyeka Okongwu. NBA All-Stars like DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic. Even the winningest players in program history, Jonah Mathews and Nick Rakocevic.
But none have been able to lead the Trojans to a regular-season Pac-12 title since 1985.
With four games left in the 2020-21 season, though, that championship is in sight for 19th-ranked USC. At 19-4 and 13-3 in the Pac-12, the Trojans sit half a game ahead of UCLA in the conference standings.
So the mandate is clear over these next two weeks.
“It’s a huge focus. We control our own destiny,” guard Tahj Eaddy said. “Every game is important at this point. We’re just treating it like we’re in March Madness already. It’s gonna be a tough road but we’re ready.”
The Trojans will start the home stretch literally on the road, with the daunting, high-altitude mountain trip to play Colorado and Utah. The Buffaloes (17-7, 11-6) are first up on Thursday, giving the Trojans the chance to avenge their first home loss of the season.
That 72-62 defeat was uncharacteristic of USC, as Colorado beat the Trojans at their own game, out-grinding USC on the defensive end. The Trojans had 15 turnovers in that game and were out-rebounded 38-35. Colorado guard McKinley Wright IV torched USC for 19 points on 13 attempts from the field.
It wasn’t too dissimilar a performance from USC’s loss to Arizona last weekend. In that contest, the Wildcats pounded the ball into the paint, got an exceptional performance from guard James Akinjo and won the rebounding battle by seven.
But USC players feel like they learned a great deal from the most recent loss.
“Especially going into March, you kinda need games like that to get your head on straight,” guard Drew Peterson said.
The evidence was in Monday’s surprisingly easy win over Oregon. The Trojans came out with a different degree of swagger, running out to a 15-point lead and never letting the Ducks get back within single-digits.
The Trojans did it by winning points in the paint 30-24 and rebounding 39-26, despite the absence of forward Isaiah Mobley, who is day-to-day with a calf strain suffered against Arizona.
It was a confidence-inspiring performance for the Trojans ahead of the four-game stretch that will determine whether they can break a 36-year drought.
“We’re just showing that we’re one of the best teams in the country. That’s what it’s about,” Eaddy said. “We just wanted to let teams know you can’t bully us, anything like that. We’re just showing that we’re fighters. We’re not gonna give in like that.”
USC at Colorado
When: 6 p.m. PT Thursday
Where: CU Events Center (Boulder, Colo.)
TV/Radio: ESPN2/AM 790
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