The preliminaries are over. Now comes a battle with Gonzaga. Now comes a main-event moment for USC basketball, the kind of game made for a big-time point guard and the No. 1 recruit in the United States for the Class of 2023.
This is the kind of game Isaiah Collier came to USC to play in. This is the kind of stage Isaiah Collier was meant to embrace. This clash against Gonzaga is the kind of situation Collier needs to own and conquer in order to become a top NBA draft prospect. This is a matchup Collier must figure out in order to give USC a real belief it can make a deep run in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
This is a showcase in which USC needs to put its best foot forward. USC being at its best means that Collier is at his best. Collier is the most talented player on this roster. He needs to lead by example and enable his teammates to follow him.
We saw Collier’s best against Kansas State. USC won by 13 in a performance which got everyone excited. We haven’t seen that version of Collier since then.
It needs to return against Gonzaga. If it does, USC could begin to realize the promise and potential this season offered when it began a few weeks ago.
Visit our friends at Fighting Irish Wire, Buffaloes Wire, and Ducks Wire.