The USC Trojans are unlikely to miss the NCAA Tournament. They have done too much good work to fall short of the field of 68. They also have a small number of games which can destroy their resume. The benefit of playing in a strong conference is that most losses won’t hurt a resume, and most wins will improve it.
One of the few games left on the schedule which really could have crushed USC’s tourney hopes and ruined the team’s overall portfolio of results was Friday’s home game against Arizona State. The Sun Devils were winless in the Pac-12. Bubble teams simply can’t lose to an opponent in ASU’s position.
USC made sure it didn’t slip on a banana peel.
The Trojans scored just 27 points in the first half but used a 14-2 run at the start of the third quarter to immediately gain control. ASU briefly pulled within eight points (41-33) late in the third, but USC was never seriously threatened in the fourth quarter. The Trojans cruised home for a 64-49 win.
We noted on our most recent women’s basketball podcast that USC had allowed 54 points or fewer in five of its last six games. Make it six of seven.
This team’s defensive juggernaut rolls on, and the NCAA Tournament is now a little closer to being a reality.
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