He has to be.
When you consider where USC started this season and where they are right now, the turnaround has been nothing short of amazing.
Think about it.
In the preseason, USC was supposed to be an embarrassment. Tim Floyd was run out of town. Taj Gibson, Daniel Hackett, and Demar Derozan all jumped ship. A talented recruiting class bailed.
It wasn't that crazy to think the Trojans would go winless during Pac-10 play.
Mike Gerrity, who joined the team after the first semester, might be the Trojans MVP.(photo credit: LA Times)
Early in the season, USC did nothing to dispel that line of thinking. They started out the season 2-4, including home losses to Nebraska and Loyola Marymount, and lost Kasey Cunningham to a season-ending knee injruy. As of December 6th, I, as well as just about every other college hoops fan, had all but written off the Trojans.
But then something strange happened.
USC started winning.
And after last night's win over UNLV, USC had now won six straight games, which includes victories over UNLV, St. Mary's, and Tennessee by 22.
A lot of people are going to point to the addition of Mike Gerrity as the reason for their recent success. And he has been a big factor, as he is averaging 14.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, and 4.3 apg through four games. Gerrity has stabilized the Trojans at the point, which is as important as any position on the floor.
But perhaps more importantly, the Trojans have started to really buckle down defensively. In their six game winning streak, the Trojans are giving up just 50 ppg while allowing their opponents to shoot just 34% from the floor. They don't allow penetration, forcing teams to hoist up tough jumpers from the perimeter.
They have also seemed to buy into Kevin O'Neill's system. You aren't going to see a lot of quick shots from the Trojans. They use the entire shot clock, forcing you to play 35 seconds of defense and completely taking control of the tempo of the game.
Playing this style - controlling the pace, getting good shots, playing staunch defense - USC has managed to rack up the only two wins against a ranked team (Tennessee, UNLV) for the Pac-10.
Could it be?
Could this team be the favorite to win the Pac-10?
While the Trojans do have their issues - after their top seven or eight the talent level really drops off and they lack players that can create their own shots - is their any team in the conference with a front line that can match-up to theirs? Alex Stephenson is a load on the block, Nikola Vucevic is a skilled big man that is effective inside and out, and Leonard Washington is a strong combo-forward that will create a lot of match-up problems.
Combine that front line with a quality point guard, a shooter and an athletic scorer on the wing, and ability to defend, and is it that incomprehensible that USC could compete for a PAC-10?
A month ago, yes.
But today?
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3 comments:
Child please... new coach + new system + new players = undefeated... Calipari is easily the coach of the year... and Kentucky is underrated (if someone told you they would be undefeated at this point and Wall was the best player in college basketball, try and seriously argue you wouldn't have picked them #1, only Texas fans have a legit argument with that)
What is more surprising to you at this point in the season: Kentucky, a team that was pegged as a final four contender the second they signed Coach Cal, is undefeated, or that USC, a team that was pegged as one of the worst in a dismal Pac-10, is now 8-4 with wins over Tennessee and UNLV - both games that were never in doubt in the second half.
If you truly believe it is Kentucky, than you need to watch more basketball,
haha fair enough, didnt know there was a reason to watch anyone other than big blue
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