SB Nation - USC Trojans

Joe McKnight Returns to the Practice Field

Joey Kaufman — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 20:16:21 -0000

More photos » by Chris Carlson - AP

2 months ago: Southern California running back Joe McKnight celebrates his touchdown against Washington State during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Los Angeles, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

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The Joe McKnight saga continues to unfold despite the fact that no decision regarding his status for Saturday's Emerald Bowl has been made. However, the latest reports seem to indicate that McKnight might actually suit up for the contest against Boston College, as he joined his teammates on the practice field Thursday after being cleared by USC's compliance office:

Southern California tailback Joe McKnight rejoined the Trojans for practice Thursday after missing their early preparations for the Emerald Bowl.

McKnight still hasn't been cleared by the school to play against Boston College on Saturday night, but coach Pete Carroll was optimistic he'll be available. USC is investigating whether McKnight violated rules by using an SUV that doesn't belong to him.

McKnight practiced with the Trojans in Los Angeles on Monday, but stayed home to deal with compliance issues when the Trojans traveled to San Francisco. Carroll said McKnight arrived in the Bay Area on Wednesday night.

Bruin fans are already boiling over McKnight's return to the field (you would think they would be a little more concerned with their own bowl game, but oh well, nothing new), comparing his predicament to that that of DeShaun Foster's. In 2001, Foster, a tailback from the Bruins, was ruled ineligible by the NCAA for driving a Ford Expedition of a friend of an agent. As a result, UCLA quickly suspended the running back for the final three games of the season even before the NCAA came out with its ruling regarding Foster's eligibility.

But the two situations are not entirely identical even if the folks from Westwood would like them to be. Foster's use of the SUV was directly tied to an agent, while McKnight's alleged use of a similar automobile has yet to be deemed improper by the NCAA or by USC officials. So far, all we know is that the vehicle in question was purchased by Scott Schenter, a Santa Monica businessman and University of Washington alumnus, and was expected to be solely used by McKnight's girlfriend Johana Michelle Beltran, who happens to be a family friend of Schenter. Whether McKnight was actually driving the car has yet to be determined, as there are conflicting stories presented by both sides - The Los Angeles Times and McKnight.

While the Louisiana native may have in fact ben driving the vehicle and breaking NCAA rules as a result, finding him guilty of such a violation is not a slam dunk. The relationship between Schenter and Beltran complicates the matter and makes it where it becomes quite challenging to come to a conclusive decision. Therefore, all we as fans can do is sit back and hope that the NCAA and USC are able to make the best possible decision based on the facts that are presented to them. It's all we really have to lean on.

UNLV 77 - Hawaii 53: Rebels cruise to Diamond Head Classic final

Fooch — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 07:14:20 -0000

FinAL - 12.23.2009	1	2	Total
UNLV Runnin Rebels	44	33	77
Hawaii Warriors	21	32	53

Complete coverage >

A day after stumbling briefly late, the UNLV Runnin Rebels kept their foot on the gas pedal in pounding the Hawaii Warriors 67-53. UNLV once again forced a huge number of turnovers and turned those into plenty of easy baskets throughout the game. The key to this win was UNLV out-hustling Hawaii and never letting the Warriors get into a game in which they stumbled early. Throw in a solid performance on the glass and the Rebels cruised with another wire-to-wire performance.

UNLV has had a different player step up into a key role in just about every game. Last night, freshman Anthony Marshall was key to the big first half lead. Tonight, Kentucky transfer guard Derrick Jasper was easily the star of the game. Jasper finished with 14 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and a block for good measure. Jasper was all over the court leading an impressive defensive effort by the Rebels. Lon Kruger prides himself on quality defense from his teams and this team is on its way to becoming one of his best UNLV teams yet.

Hawaii certainly didn't do themselves any favors as it took them just over 6 minutes to score their first points of the game. Both teams struggled to hit baskets early on, but as soon as Hawaii got their first points, UNLV was suddenly able to turn it on. The Rebels used a 19-5 run to give them breathing room and Hawaii would never narrow the gap from that.

One of the most important developments in the game was the fact that UNLV did not let up in the second half. While they didn't widen their lead all that much, they never let it fall under 17 points. The Rebels have had a bad habit of slumping at a different point in a given game. At the beginning of the season it was the start of games against inferior opponents. Lately it's been letting a team back into a game rather than going for the kill. While UNLV didn't run up the score any further tonight, they still handled their business in the second half with excellent focus.

Up Next: UNLV faces the University of Southern California on Christmas Day in the championship game of this inaugural tournament. USC upset the Gaels of St. Mary's to continue a resurgence that included a 22-point blowout of the #8 Tennessee Volunteers last week. St. Mary's had the better record, but if UNLV can beat the Trojans, it could prove to be a better win come the end of the year. USC's RPI is not spectacular (#115), but given the Pac-10 schedule versus the WCC schedule, if USC can continue their strong performance of late, their RPI would be more likely to go up. It's obviously too early to be talking NCAA tournament, but every non-conference win is important.

UNLV is like to be favored by 3 or 4 points against the Trojans, and likely won't be blowing them out the building as they've done to SMU and Hawaii. USC was able to add senior transfer guard Mike Gerrity (eligible after transfer) and sophomore forward Leonard, making them a much different team from the one that struggled early in the season.

Trojans Keep Winning Streak Alive; Defeat St. Mary’s 60-49

Joey Kaufman — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 04:37:21 -0000

More photos » by Eugene Tanner - AP

1 day ago: Southern California head coach Kevin O'Neill, foreground, applauds his team's effort against Saint Mary's in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday Dec. 23, 2009, at the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Eugene Tanner)

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USC's 60-49 win over St. Mary's in the semifinals of the Diamond Head Classic showcased all of the positives regarding the current Trojan hoops team: tough defense and balanced scoring.

‘SC, which recorded its fifth straight victory, will play either UNLV or host Hawaii in the championship game of the inaugural tournament on Christmas Day and hopes to use its success over these past few games as a springboard into conference play which begins December 31^st against Arizona.

However, Wednesday's victory over the Gaels was not a breeze by any stretch. In fact, it appeared as if the Trojans were in serious danger early on. Once again, they fell behind early in the contest after struggling to find a rhythm offensively thanks to turnovers and poor shot selection, but came on strong mid-way through the first half. A Marcus Johnson field goal around the eleven minute marked sparked a 19-5 run, which enabled the Trojans to take a ten point lead going into halftime where they never looked back.

Once again, the team's stellar defense enabled them to defeat a tough opponent known for its potent offense. St. Mary's, which typically scores about 84 points per game while shooting 50 percent from the field, was held far below its season averages, as the Gaels scored just 49 points on 30% shooting. Their inability to become comfortable on the offensive end made it extremely tough on Randy Bennett's bunch to mount any sort of a comeback.

What made things even more difficult for the Gaels was the fact that the Trojans were effective on the offensive end for the majority of the game as well. Over the course of the 40 minute contest, the Trojans collectively shot 52% percent from the field, which enabled them to maintain a comfortable lead until the closing minutes.

But while the high shooting percentage will certainly afford this team success, the fact that so many different players contributed on the offensive end is yet another positive sign for this bunch. Mike Gerrity, Nikola Vucevic, and Leonard Washington (who was playing in his first game after being academically ineligible for the first semester) all scored in double figures with 17, 15, and 10 points respectively. That balanced attack will surely be needed if the Trojans intend on taking him the tournament title and collecting their sixth straight victory on Friday.

GameDay Open Thread: USC vs. St. Mary's

Joey Kaufman — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:55:47 -0000

More photos » by Mark J. Terrill - AP

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USC Trojans vs. St. Mary's, December 23, 2009 2:00 PST, ESPNU

Despite all the doom and gloom stories that were printed before the season got underway, the current USC men's basketball has posted a 6-4 record thus far and is presently on a 3 game winning streak. Now, just think about that and smile for a brief moment.

But nevertheless, today's contest against a 10-1 St. Mary's team provides a significant challenge for the Trojans, as they must perform much better than they did during Tuesday's narrow 55-51 victory over Western Michigan. St. Mary's should also provide the Trojans with a far steeper challenge, as they presently have a top 20 Sagarin rating. Here's a closer look at the Gaels via the Trojans' official website:

SCOUTING THE GAELS -- Saint Mary's (10-1) defeated Northeastern 78-67 yesterday for its eighth consecutive win. SMC's only loss was a 72-70 setback vs. Vanderbilt on Nov. 20. The Gaels are led by center Omar Samhan who has averaged 21.5 points and 11.6 rebounds. Freshman Matthew Dellavedova is second on the team in scoring with a 13.9 average. Saint Mary's has averaged making 9.1 three-pointers per game, 15th in the nation. USC leads the all-time series with Saint Mary's 7-0, winning the last meeting 69-63 on Nov. 18, 2006.

Should be a competitive game. Yet, hopefully, it turns out in 'SC's favor.

Fight On! Beat the Gaels!

Damian Williams Not Gone Just Yet

Joey Kaufman — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:28:45 -0000

More photos » by Chris Carlson - AP

2 months ago: Southern California wide receiver Damian Williams scores against Washington State during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Los Angeles, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

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While a tweet from ESPN's Bruce Feldman last night indicated that wide receiver Damian Williams was headed off to the NFL, it appears as if the report regarding the fourth-year junior was a bit inaccurate. According to ESPNLosAngeles.com, Williams will be waiting until after the December 26th Emerald Bowl against Boston College to make a decision regarding his status for next season:

The Los Angeles Daily News reported on Tuesday that the team's leading wideout will forgo his senior season. When reached on his cellphone late Tuesday night by ESPNLosAngeles.com, Williams denied that he has made a decision.

"I haven't decided yet,'' Williams said. "Right now I'm just focused on this game and my team. My personal decisions will be addressed after the season."

USC coach Pete Carroll told the newspaper on Tuesday that the option is being weighed.

"There's a lot of indications [he is going pro] because he graduated," he said, according to the Daily News. "We're talking about it. We haven't had a serious meeting yet. His parents have been around here a lot."

While I think it is more than likely the Williams takes off for the NFL following Saturday's contest against Boston College, it is somewhat refreshing to see that he will be making a decision after the completion of the season. The last thing USC needs right now is another off the field distraction regarding an individual player that takes the team's focus away from the bowl game.

Big 12 Pac-10 Hardwood Series Tally FINAL TALLY

Evan Pfaff — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:15:10 -0000

The Big XII claimed their first Big 12 Pac 10 Hardwood Series championship.

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Big XII Wins Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series!

Official Tally

Big 12 - 9

Pac 10 - 3

Game dates, times and recaps listed below the Jump

(All times Central)

Sunday, November 29

Nebraska - 51
USC - 48
Recap

Thursday's Games

Texas Tech - 99
(12) Washington - 92
OVERTIME
Recap

(2) Texas - 69
USC - 50
Recap

Baylor - 64
Arizona State - 61
Recap

Friday's Games

Oregon State - 74
Colorado - 69
Recap

Saturday's Games

Missouri - 106
Oregon - 69
Recap

Kansas St.- 86
Washington State - 69
Recap

California - 82
Iowa St. - 63
Recap

Sunday's Games

Kansas - 73
UCLA - 61
Recap

Oklahoma 79
Arizona 62
Recap

Wednesday, December 16 Games

Oklahoma St - 71
Stanford - 70
Recap

Tuesday, December 22 Games

Washington - 73
Texas A&M - 64
Recap

Trojans Muster Up Comeback; Defeat Western Michigan 55-51

Joey Kaufman — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 02:11:32 -0000

More photos » by Eugene Tanner - AP

2 days ago: Western Michigan guard Mike Douglas, top, attempts to cut off Southern California guard Mike Gerrity in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2009, at the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu. USC defeated Western Michigan 55-51. (AP Photo/Eugene Tanner)

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Historically, these are the type of games where victory eludes USC. Coming off a marquee win, playing an inferior opponent, and trailing by nine points at halftime, would usually indicate that the Trojans would be on a collision course with defeat. But something was different on Tuesday afternoon in Hawaii, as ‘SC, instead of folding up like a lawn chair, scored 37 second half points to come from behind and defeat a surprisingly tough Western Michigan team by a score of 55-51.

Once again, the Trojans were led by Mike Gerrity, who largely orchestrated the team's second half comeback by scoring fifteen of his team-leading 17 points over the final 20 minutes. Coming off a double-double against Tennessee (12 points and 10 assists), Gerrity may not have been as impressive on the stat sheet (he had just 3 assists), but his leadership and clutch scoring were instrumental in the Trojans' win. As a senior, that poise and confidence enabled him to make such a strong impact considering that most of USC's starters and key reserves are playing significant minutes for the first time in their careers.

Yet while Tuesday's win and Gerrity's strong performance are certainly enough to appease the fanbase for now, there are still other concerns that must be addressed before anybody starts throwing the words postseason tournament and USC in the same sentence. For one, the play from starting big men Alex Stepheson and Nikola Vucevic proved to be incredibly disappointing. Despite big games last Saturday, Stepheson was even named Pac-10 player of the week, both players struggled mightily against the Broncos - a team not especially known for its defensive prowess. Stepheson had just 2 points on 1-of-6 shooting and collected merely 6 rebounds and no blocks. This was all in 29 minutes of action. Vucevic wasn't too much better, as the sophomore had just one field goal, missing several "gimme" baskets. Luckily, he did get to shoot eleven free throws, enabling him to score ten points in addition to his eight rebounds.

Therefore, both players must step up tomorrow, as the Trojans face a much tougher opponents in St. Mary's that presently holds a 10-1 record with a win already over the Pac-10's Oregon Ducks. The Gaels, who are led by a talented 6'11" center in Omar Samhan, suffered their only defeat at the hands of Vanderbilt by two points so there is no question that ‘SC will be facing a quality basketball team in the next round. If players such as Stepheson, Vucevic, and Dwight Lewis (who had an awful shooting performance) continue to struggle, even Mike Gerrity, who has affectionately become known as the "Baby Nash" by Trojan fans, won't be able to carry the team to a victory.

Diamond Head Classic: #20 UNLV (10-1) vs. Southern Methodist (4-3)

Fooch — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:30:14 -0000

First off, a quick introduction. I'm Fooch and having grown up in Las Vegas, I've been a UNLV fan my whole life. I actually run the 49ers SB Nation site Niners Nation. When I got a chance to check out MWC Connection I knew I wanted to be a part of it. And so here I am to provide a few thoughts and a little analysis about my beloved Runnin Rebels.

Next Game

SMU Mustangs
@ UNLV Runnin Rebels

Tuesday, Dec 22, 2009, 7:30 PM PST,
TV Channel: ESPNU
Diamond Head Classic - Stan Sheriff Center - Honolulu, HI

Complete Coverage >

UNLV takes on the Southern Methodist Mustangs in their opening game at the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu. The Classic, hosted by Hawaii, is in its inaugural year and includes, aside from UNLV, SMU and Hawaii, College of Charleston, Northeastern, USC, St. Mary's, and Western Michigan. Although it is not the biggest collection of names in a preseason tournament, all the schools will get to play three games with at least two for each school being on television (ESPNU and ESPN2).

UNLV is arguably the favorite to win this tournament (with St. Mary's also in the conversation). The Rebels have had a mostly successful non-conference schedule that saw them beat Louisville and Arizona, while getting thumped by #12/#15 Kansas State. UNLV is a guard heavy team that likes to jack up threes, but they're still trying to figure out where they're most comfortable. On the defensive end they're generally a tough, scrappy team that will make their opponents work to score points. The Kansas State game exposed UNLV as a team that still has a lot of work to do, but they're on the right path.

This tournament represents the end of the non-conference season for UNLV, as they will be opening MWC play a tough 2-game road trip at BYU and New Mexico, arguably the two best teams in the Mountain West. While this tournament doesn't include a lot of name-brand action, three wins would give the Rebels a solid amount of confidence heading into conference play. After the K-State loss, UNLV had a 3-game stretch against some less than stellar opposition, so a step back up in competition is necessary.

The "step up" in competition would not seem to be starting in the first round. SMU stands at 4-3, although 2 of their wins came against lower division teams. SMU hasn't beaten anybody of significance to date and sit with an RPI ranked 282, so it's safe to say that this game won't really help UNLV's RPI. The Rebels are currently 10 point favorites on the Mustangs and will basically be looking to contain Derek Williams and Mouhammad Faye (averaging a combined 27.4 points per game, good for 38% of their scoring).

UNLV is a guard heavy roster and they have struggled in the rebounding department. With no player averaging more than 5.3 rebounds, even relatively small teams can have success on the boards against the Rebels. SMU goes with 2 guards, 1 guard/forward and 2 traditional forwards (both 6'9). At this point I don't know much about SMU's style of play, aside from the fact that they don't chuck up 3s anywhere near the rate of UNLV. If they bang it down low, they could make things interesting with UNLV.

The winner of this game faces the winner of Charleston-Hawaii on Wednesday at 11:30pm eastern time on ESPN2. The loser gets the loser of that game at 2:00am eastern on ESPNU.

UNLV Rebels

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
Tre`Von Willis	10	25.8	5.4	10.3	52.4	1.0	3.7	27.0	4.3	4.7	91.5	1.0	3.0	4.0	3.5	2.2	1.2	0.2	2.7	16.1
Oscar Bellfield	11	27.4	4.1	9.1	45.0	1.4	3.8	35.7	1.7	2.5	67.9	0.8	2.2	3.0	4.1	2.0	1.1	0.2	2.7	11.3
Chace Stanback	11	22.9	3.4	8.3	40.7	0.5	2.5	22.2	1.5	2.0	77.3	1.7	3.5	5.3	1.5	1.5	1.7	1.1	2.6	8.8
Derrick Jasper	11	24.9	2.9	5.8	50.0	0.5	1.9	28.6	1.2	2.6	44.8	0.5	4.1	4.5	3.2	1.4	1.6	0.2	1.8	7.5
Kendall Wallace	11	17.5	2.3	5.4	42.4	1.6	4.2	39.1	0.9	1.2	76.9	0.6	1.5	2.2	0.7	0.4	0.5	0.0	1.8	7.1
Matt Shaw	11	15.5	2.2	4.9	44.4	0.7	1.7	42.1	1.6	2.1	78.3	1.1	1.6	2.7	0.6	0.3	0.3	0.7	2.2	6.7
Darris Santee	11	14.1	2.4	3.9	60.5	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.6	2.8	58.1	1.4	3.1	4.5	0.3	0.4	0.3	0.6	1.8	6.4
Anthony Marshall	11	17.4	2.0	6.0	33.3	0.1	1.5	5.9	1.2	1.8	65.0	0.7	1.0	1.7	1.6	1.5	1.5	0.3	1.6	5.3
Brice Massamba	11	11.0	1.7	2.5	70.4	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.4	2.3	60.0	1.5	0.7	2.2	0.3	0.5	0.1	0.4	2.7	4.8
Justin Hawkins	11	14.5	1.4	3.7	36.6	0.5	1.6	33.3	1.4	2.2	62.5	0.8	0.7	1.5	0.6	0.8	0.7	0.3	1.5	4.6
Steve Jones	11	13.0	0.5	2.1	26.1	0.1	0.9	10.0	0.7	0.9	80.0	0.6	0.6	1.3	0.8	0.2	0.0	0.0	1.2	1.9
Todd Hanni	4	3.5	0.0	1.3	0.0	0.0	0.8	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.5	0.3	0.8	0.0	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.5	0.0
Tyler Norman	5	2.6	0.0	0.2	0.0	0.0	0.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.2	0.2	0.4	0.0	0.2	0.6	0.0	0.0	0.0
Mychal Martinez	4	1.5	0.0	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.3	0.0

SMU Mustangs

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
Derek Williams	7	32.7	4.6	10.7	42.7	0.3	3.0	9.5	4.6	6.1	74.4	0.9	1.9	2.7	3.3	1.6	1.3	0.0	1.7	14.0
Mouhammad Faye	7	29.4	4.9	11.0	44.2	1.3	4.4	29.0	2.4	3.9	63.0	1.6	5.0	6.6	0.9	1.7	0.9	1.7	3.3	13.4
Paul McCoy	7	32.3	3.4	8.6	40.0	0.7	2.4	29.4	2.1	3.4	62.5	0.9	4.1	5.0	3.4	3.3	1.3	0.0	2.4	9.7
Papa Dia	7	23.3	3.7	7.6	49.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	2.0	2.4	82.4	3.6	4.4	8.0	0.9	2.1	0.9	0.9	2.7	9.4
Robert Nyakundi	3	11.7	2.3	4.7	50.0	1.7	3.3	50.0	1.7	1.7	100.0	1.0	0.3	1.3	1.3	1.0	0.0	0.0	2.3	8.0
Justin Haynes	7	24.3	3.0	5.3	56.8	0.1	1.1	12.5	1.0	2.7	36.8	1.0	1.3	2.3	0.1	0.9	1.1	0.1	2.0	7.1
Rodney Clinkscales	7	13.4	2.1	3.9	55.6	1.1	2.0	57.1	0.6	0.7	80.0	0.1	1.0	1.1	0.9	0.4	0.3	0.0	0.9	6.0
Mike Walker	5	9.0	1.8	3.4	52.9	1.6	3.0	53.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.6	0.6	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.0	0.4	5.2
Austin Horn	1	3.0	1.0	1.0	100.0	1.0	1.0	100.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	3.0
Frank Otis	6	13.7	1.2	1.3	87.5	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.3	0.7	50.0	1.5	1.5	3.0	0.8	0.8	0.5	0.2	1.8	2.7
Ryan Harp	7	15.0	0.6	1.6	36.4	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.3	0.4	66.7	0.7	0.7	1.4	0.1	1.3	0.1	0.1	0.9	1.4
Myles Luttman	4	8.5	0.0	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	2.3	44.4	0.3	2.3	2.5	0.3	0.8	0.3	0.0	1.8	1.0
Ryan Barbre	1	4.0	0.0	3.0	0.0	0.0	2.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Tomasz Kwiatkowski	1	4.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	2.0	0.0

GameDay Open Thread: USC vs. Western Michigan (Diamond Head Classic)

Joey Kaufman — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 17:55:42 -0000

More photos » by Chris Carlson - AP

13 days ago: Southern California guard Dwight Lewis, right, passing around Idaho State forward Rolando Little during the first half of an NCAA basketball game in Los Angeles, Friday, Dec. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

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USC Trojans vs. Western Michigan, December 22, 2009 2:00 PST, ESPNU

While Western Michigan may not have the pedigree of either Texas or Tennessee, they should still provide the Trojans with an interesting test this afternoon. It is feasible that USC, which is coming off a possibly program altering victory against the Volunteers, could overlook a middle of the road MAC team like Western Michigan, and therefore, come out flat against the Broncos. This trend existed under previous coaches, Henry Bibby and Tim Floyd, so it isn't out of the question it could reoccur today. Yet, if the Trojans wish to take the next step as a program, they must prove they can follow up a big-time win such as the one over Tennessee with victories over inferior foes. Thus, this afternoon should provide an opportunity for us fans to further understand where this program is at.

But before we get carried away, here's a closer at the competition - Western Michigan:

SCOUTING THE BRONCOS -- Western Michigan (4-4) is coming off a 72-64 home win vs. Kennesaw State on Dec. 19. The Broncos returned three starters from a team that went 10-21 a year ago. WMU is led in scoring by senior guard David Kool (21.5 ppg), sophomore forward Flenard Whitfield (12.3 ppg) and senior guard/forward Martelle McLemore (12.0 ppg). USC leads the all-time series with WMU 2-1, winning the last meeting 77-62 on Dec. 16, 2005.

Because this is a part of a three-game tournament, it is quite likely that the Trojans will be busy over the holidays:

ON DECK AT THE DIAMOND HEAD CLASSIC -- The winner of today's USC-WMU game will play the winner of Northeastern/St. Mary's on Dec. 23 at 2:00 p.m., while the losers of each game will square off on Dec. 23 at noon (PT). St. Mary's is 9-1 and defeated Pacific on Dec. 18 for its seventh-straight win. Northeastern is 2-5 and have been off since falling to Rhode Island on Dec. 10. The final games will be played on Dec. 25. The other teams in the eight-team field are UNLV, SMU, College of Charleston and host Hawaii.

There is a lot of excitement regarding the USC basketball program, as the team is currently on a three game winning streak and has received a fair amount of positive publicity for once after a strong performance this past weekend. The holiday tournament in Hawaii provides the Trojans with yet another opportunity to test themselves against quality competition, while also presenting them with the chance to continue their strong level of play. The most challenging opponents in this tournament are UNLV and St. Mary's so there is no legitimate reason as to why 'SC shouldn't seriously contend for the tournament championship despite a somewhat depleted roster.

Fight On! Beat the Broncos!

Pac-10 Weekly Wrap: Finally, a quality win!

Nuss — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 20:50:33 -0000

More photos » by Joe Nicholson - AP

Why is this man smiling? Because he's been the best player in the Pac-10 for the conference's best team, that's why.

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After a couple of weeks off, the Weekly Wrap is back. I wish I could say that a lot has changed in the three weeks since I wrote the last one of these, but unfortunately it hasn't. The Pac-10 did finally pick up a quality out-of-conference win -- from the most unlikely of sources in USC -- but it did little to offset the perception that this is a weak Pac-10 after numerous missed opportunities.

It's a perception that's not likely to change, despite the conference now being ranked the fifth strongest nationally by kenpom.com (just ahead of the SEC, if you can believe that). If you look at the standings, it's pretty easy to see why. The conference has about five good to really good offensive teams, about five good to pretty good defensive teams, but only two that combine the two (Washington, Cal and ASU). Everyone else is good at one or the other, leading to some pretty uneven performances.

There are some big games on the slate tomorrow night: Cal at Kansas, UW vs. Texas A&M, WSU vs. LSU, and Stanford at Texas Tech. If the Pac-10 is going to get more than just a couple of bids come March, it needs to plant a seed in the minds of the committee that it's just a young conference that is getting better as the season moves along. Winning most or all of those would do wonders for the perception of the conference.

If Cal can beat Kansas -- or, at least, lose a thriller -- all of a sudden, beating Cal in conference means something.

On to the rankings! There hasn't been a lot of movement the past couple of weeks, but I have a feeling that might change by this time next week.

1. Washington
Rank last week: 1
Record: 7-2

The Huskies are still on top, but I sure would feel a lot better about it if they'd actually beat someone away from Hec Ed during the nonconference season. The loss to Texas Tech was a toss-up, but losing in Los Angeles to Georgetown -- in the manner they did -- raises some serious questions about Washington's toughness without Jon Brockman in the middle.

There have been hints of it against other opponents (Montana, Cal-State Northridge), but the Huskies have been able to overwhelm those opponents with their athleticism. Not so against the Hoyas. They've got a tough one against Texas A&M tomorrow, but again, it's at home. In fact, the Huskies don't leave Hec Ed again until Jan. 8.

Bright spot: Quincy Pondexter is finally, truly, unequivocally delivering on the promise he held as one of the top recruits on the west coast lo these many years ago. (Just take a look at his individual stat rankings over at kenpom.com.) That he's not receiving more pub nationally probably is due to the lack of a signature game in a signature win for the Huskies. But if he keeps this up, it won't stay that way for long.

Question mark: Pop quiz time: Where do the Huskies rank in the Pac-10 in adjusted offensive efficiency? First? Third? Try fifth -- behind (in order) Cal, Arizona State, WSU and Oregon. This team has just frankly not been that great offensively, exceeding 1.10 points per trip just three times this year. This is something to keep an eye on, because while the Pac-10 has been bad, there are some really good defensive teams in there. USC showed this week what a great defensive team powered by a fluky shooting night can do to a good team.

2. California

Rank last week: 2
Record: 6-3

The Bears have played three games in three weeks -- their tilt with Kansas tomorrow will be their first in 13(!) days. They started off with a loss on the road to New Mexico -- certainly not a bad loss, per se, but not great for a team that many thought could be the dominant team in the Pac-10 -- then finished up with dominant wins over Iowa State at home and Pacific on the road. They haven't been on TV much in these parts, so I don't have much insight to add; I will be catching the ESPN360 replay of tomorrow's game on Wednesday, since I'll be at the WSU/LSU game.

Bright spot: Theo Robertson is back. Need I say more? An offense that's already very good will get even better -- if he can stay on the floor.

Question mark: Tomorrow night is bigger than big for Cal. If they can hang with -- or outright beat -- the Jayhawks, the Bears' ceiling likely becomes a No. 2 seed. If they get blown out? Maybe a No. 3, but more than likely a No. 4 or No. 5, since there just don't remain any chances for great wins on their schedule. (Sorry, Huskies -- you no longer qualify.)

3. Arizona State

Rank last week: 3
Record: 8-3

The Sun Devils just keep chugging along, showing that experience just might be the difference maker for this team. They did lose to Baylor at home, but only by three while giving up 69.0 effective field goal percentage. It's a loss that smacks of the kind of loss that teams featuring zone defense suffer from time to time. Of more import to me is the nice win against a good San Diego State team. Still pretty clearly the third best in the conference, and the Pac-10's best chance for a third at-large bid if they can separate themselves from fourth place once league play starts.

Bright spot: Derek Glasser has been doing his best Taylor Rochestie on steroids impersonation this year. They're similar in so many ways, but Glasser's shooting has been insane -- his offensive rating is currently 130.5 with a high assist rate. He's been better than I ever thought he could be.

Question mark: There's a saying in football that the defenses often start out in front of the offenses at the beginning of the year. Well, in college basketball it seems experience starts out in front of inexperience, and that's the case with ASU. Which makes me wonder: Will this team continue to get better? Or will they get passed by other teams that would seemingly have more talent as they gain more experience?

4. Washington State

Rank last week: 4
Record: 8-2

Well, the Cougs missed an opportunity at Gonzaga, got whipped by K-State and soundly beat Idaho and Portland State. The funny thing is that we all thought this was going to be a roller coaster. While there aren't any "good" wins on the slate, there aren't any bad losses, either. That's a pretty enormous testament to what Ken Bone is doing. If the Cougs cap the nonconference slate with a win over LSU, it has to be considered a rousing success. The Cougs are a solid No. 4 in these rankings.

Bright spot: Marcus Capers. Come back this afternoon to find out why. (We call that a teaser in the news biz!)

Question mark: The Cougs are one of those teams that feature a very good offense, but so-so defense. Hence, all the attention we pay to the defense -- it really could be the difference maker in terms of getting this team to the postseason. Signs point to the defense getting better, although some of that might be explained by simple regression in terms of opponents' 3-point shooting. We'll learn more tomorrow against a team that's as athletic as we are.

5. USC

Rank last week: 9
Record: 5-4

Too big of a jump here after whipping Tennessee at home, you say? Too much value placed on one very good shooting night from a bad offensive team, you say? Well, at least they've shown that they can do it, which is a heck of a lot more than we can say for most other teams. After all, look at five through 10 in this conference and tell me who deserves to be higher than USC.

That's what I thought.

Bright spot: It's not a total fluke the Vols shot just 2-of-22 from 3-point range against the Trojans -- they're 23rd nationally in effective field goal percentage allowed (although it has been built mostly on stingy 2-point defense). Kevin O'Neil is following the Bennett rebuild blueprint to a T: Play superlative defense until the offense catches up.

Question mark: Will the offense ever catch up this year? It has been positively horrendous at times, and one good night doesn't make us believe everything is OK.

6. Oregon

Rank last week: 6
Record: 6-4

They can't beat a decent team on the road (Mizzou, Portland) and can't beat a decent team at home (Montana, St. Mary's). I guess they get credit for nearly beating the Gaels, but I know most people were expecting a lot more out of this team -- especially Duck fans. There have even been rumblings that it's time for Ernie Kent to go. I'd like to take this moment to remind everyone that I said I thought the Ducks wouldn't be very good until next year, and I stand by that statement.

Bright spot: Freshman Jamil Wilson has a knack for rebounding (14.1 OR% and 19.3 DR%) and blocking shots (3.5%). So that's nice.

Question mark: Will Kent's job status become a distraction? Especially if they win their last two nonconference games (as they should) and then start off Pac-10 play 0-2 coming through UW and WSU on New Year's weekend (as they might)?

7. Arizona

Rank last week: 5
Record: 4-5

The Wildcats have played the second-toughest nonconference schedule in the Pac-10, and it shows. These guys needed a patsy-filled schedule as bad as anyone, and instead they've played the likes of Wisconsin, Vandy, UNLV, Oklahoma and San Diego State -- all losses. They played tough in Maui and play well at home, but their last two games on the road have been convincing losses (OU and SDSU).

Bright spot: Jamelle Horne is rebounding like a power forward (21.3 DR%), despite being roughly the size of Klay Thompson. It's part of the reason the Wildcats have been surprisingly effective on the glass despite none of their actual big men rebounding like big men.

Question mark: Five times this year, the Wildcats have scored less than .92 points per possession (1.0 being average). Four of those five were against the good teams on their schedule. That's a scary thought heading into conference play.

8. Stanford

Rank last week: 7
Record: 5-5

We know moral victories don't really count. But losing by one at home to Oklahoma State and by eight on the road at Northwestern -- two teams that should be in the top half of their conferences -- says something about the way Johnny Dawkins has his Cardinal fighting. They are not going to be an easy win for anyone once Pac-10 play starts.

Bright spot: Landry Fields is really good -- so good that I'd probably place him in the No. 2 spot behind Pondexter in the Pac-10 POY race at the moment.

Question mark: Will the Cardinal keep bringing their A-plus effort if they don't soon get a favorable result? They've got a chance to get one tomorrow against Texas Tech.

9. Oregon State

Rank last week: 8
Record: 5-5

No shame in losing on the road to Nebraska. But Illinois-Chicago? Really? It seemed like the Beavers finally had some things figured out after beating George Washington and Colorado. Then the pitiful effort on the defensive glass against the Flames. They now possess arguably the two worst losses in the Pac-10. This is a tough, tough team to figure.

Bright spot: The offense seems to be coming around -- above 53 effective field goal percentage in five of the last six games. That's pretty good.

Question mark: Now that the Beavers have kissed any chance of an at-large bid goodbye -- and make no mistake, that was the goal heading into the season -- will they pull it together enough to be consistently tough in the league?

10. UCLA

Preseason rank: 10
Record: 3-7

The Bruins are yet another victim of aggressive scheduling. Normally, that's not a problem for the Bruins, but it's led to them losing six of their last seven, five of those by double digits. I'm tempted to say this could happen to anyone with enough early defections, but can you honestly picture North Carolina or Duke or Kansas sinking to these depths under their great coaches? That's what's so weird about this.

Bright spot: The Bruins really do seem to be getting better, even if it's not reflected in the win column. I watched them play Notre Dame on Saturday, and while the Irish aren't exactly a great team, they're a solid Big East squad, and the Bruins competed. They do seem like they still care.

Question mark: Just how much potential is there for the Bruins to improve? Certainly, they're not as bad as they've shown. But I just don't see the kind of talent on the floor I once did. Unless Ben Howland knows something I don't know, this is a bottom half of the conference team, even if they start playing significantly better.