ASU Basketball: 2019 Pac-12 Week 16 Power Rankings
By Trevor Booth
7. USC Trojans (14-12, 7-6 Pac-12) LW: 7
Since a three-game winning streak (Jan. 19-26) inserted USC into the conversation to play spoiler at the Pac-12 Tournament, the Trojans have won two of their past six games, halting all discussions of a dark horse team emerging in Los Angeles.
In spite of the futile efforts displayed over the past month, USC nearly picked up a sweep on the road at Stanford and California last weekend. That is, until the Cardinal shot 60 percent from the floor in the second half to escape with a 79-76 win.
Holding a five-point lead at halftime, the Trojans put together a solid 20 minutes of basketball and looked as though they’d pick up a road win. But Stanford’s offensive outburst over the final 20 minutes was something I’m not sure even coach Jerod Haase could have foreseen.
Not to mention coach Andy Enfield’s side had worked all three of Stanford’s bigs into foul trouble. Sophomore forward KZ Okpala fouled out while sophomore Oscar da Silva and senior Josh Sharma finished with four fouls apiece. Yet, it was the Trojans who left Maples Pavilion collectively scratching their heads at the sight of a missed opportunity.
USC salvaged with a split, however, demolishing California by 23. There hasn’t been much to take in with the Golden Bears this season, but on Saturday, Haas Pavilion became the site of Trojans’ history. Senior forward Bennie Boatwright scored 36 points, draining a program-record 10 3-pointers in the win. In total, USC connected on 19 triples to keep Cal winless in conference play.
Sitting in a three-way tie for fifth place in the standings, USC hosts Oregon State (2) and Oregon (8) this week with a prime opportunity to inch towards the top four seeds and a first-round bye in Las Vegas.
– Pekale