Devils in Detail
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ASU Basketball: 2019 Pac-12 Week 3 Power Rankings

By Trevor Booth

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 19: Taeshon Cherry #35 of the Arizona State Sun Devils and Arizona State bench react after the team defeated the Mississippi State Bulldogs 72-67 in a semifinal game of the MGM Resorts Main Event basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on November 19, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 19: Taeshon Cherry #35 of the Arizona State Sun Devils and Arizona State bench react after the team defeated the Mississippi State Bulldogs 72-67 in a semifinal game of the MGM Resorts Main Event basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on November 19, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 09: Jonah Mathews #2 of the USC Trojans celebrates on the court after teammate Elijah Stewart (not pictured) #30 hit a 3-pointer against the Oregon Ducks during a semifinal game of the Pac-12 basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on March 9, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Trojans won 74-54. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 09: Jonah Mathews #2 of the USC Trojans celebrates on the court after teammate Elijah Stewart (not pictured) #30 hit a 3-pointer against the Oregon Ducks during a semifinal game of the Pac-12 basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on March 9, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Trojans won 74-54. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

8. USC Trojans

After a 3-2 start to the season with losses to Texas Tech and Vanderbilt, several things have become evident about USC.

The first is that this team has a long way to go to live up to their preseason ranking of fifth in the Pac-12, but if they get there, they will have done so as a team.

The Trojans currently have six players averaging double-digits in scoring and have moved the ball around well in head coach Andy Enfield’s offense.

The ball movement has made it difficult for opponents to defend and has led to open 3-point shots, which USC is hitting a rate of 40 percent.

While the team has excelled on the offensive end, on the defensive end it has been a one-man wrecking crew in form of Nick Rakocevic. The junior has four steals to begin the season alongside 13 of the team’s 21 blocks.

Rakocevic has also improved his offensive game after averaging eight points and six rebounds a year ago, as both marks are up to 14 and 12, respectively.

USC will continue their tough non-conference schedule with a trio of games against CSU Bakersfield, Long Beach State, and No. 7 Nevada.

– Cody Whitehouse

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