3. USC Trojans
For 35 minutes of their Round of 32 matchup against the Baylor Bears, the Trojans seemed like they were going to play “cinderella” and become the fourth Pac-12 team to make the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament last year.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be.
After stockpiling recruits and finding a coach of the future in Andy Enfield, USC look like its ready to strike with an experienced team.
The Trojans return every member of their core from last season, in particular forwards Chimezie Metu and Bennie Boatwright. Metu was fifth in the conference last season with 1.5 blocks per game, and Boatwright led the team with 15.1 points per game despite missing 10 weeks last season due to injury.
On the recruiting front, the Trojans picked up a solid wing player in McDonald’s All-American Charles O’Bannon Jr to highlight a top-25 class. As a senior at Bishop Gorman High School last year, O’Bannon led the Gaels with 21.1 points per game en route to winning the 4A Nevada State Championship.
Even with one of the deepest and most dynamic rosters in the Pac-12, expect the Trojans to struggle a bit coming out of the gate. The Trojans open at No. 10 in the AP Poll, opening with heightened expectations for a unit that has been improving yearly.
If USC can come together, the ceiling could be as high as dethroning Arizona.