Tag: Reese Dixon-Waters

San Diego State lands USC transfer Reese Dixon-Waters

Reese Dixon-Waters becomes the latest #Pac12 transfer to join the #Aztecs. He will try to do what Matt Bradley did for the program.

Reese Dixon-Waters has transferred out of the Pac-12, but maybe not for long. He did not transfer to another state or even to another part of the state of California.

Dixon-Waters is staying in Southern California, but he is traveling south to San Diego. RDW has chosen the San Diego State Aztecs as his transfer destination after entering the portal.

Last season, Reese Dixon-Waters was USC’s third-leading scorer. The sophomore didn’t shoot brilliantly, but he was the Trojans’ most reliable bench player. He held together the lineup whenever Andy Enfield had to look for other options to steal minutes.

The Pac-12’s Sixth Man of the Year averaged 9.8 points per game for the Trojans last season; he will have two years of eligibility remaining at San Diego State.

The 6-foot-5, 210-pound guard was rated a top 50 recruit coming out of St. Bernard High in San Diego. He skipped his senior season to enroll at USC early during the semester break, playing the back half of the 2020-21 season abbreviated by the pandemic. That qualifies him for an extra year of eligibility, meaning he has two years left. Because he is a first-time transfer, he can play immediately.

Dixon-Waters arrived at USC as a four-star prospect. He was ranked No. 77 nationally, No. 11 at shooting guard, and No. 11 in the state of California in the Class of 2020.

It will be fascinating to see if San Diego State is invited into the Pac-12. RDW could return to the conference, but not in time to play USC. The Trojans will be off to the Big Ten before that might potentially happen.

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Texas basketball: Potential targets in the transfer portal

Here is a look at a few potential targets Texas could pursue in the transfer portal.

It is officially Rodney Terry’s program in Austin. Texas and Terry agreed to a five-year deal after guiding the Longhorns to the Elite Eight in an interim role.

Texas’ 2022-2023 season was one of the school’s more successful years in recent memory. Texas finished 29-9, took home the Big 12 Tournament title and won three NCAA Tournament games. The Longhorns advanced past the first weekend of March Madness for the first time since 2008.

Terry’s first task as head coach is to rebuild Texas’ roster into a contender yet again. Texas must replace its senior leadership as Marcus Carr, Sir’Jabari Rice, Timmy Allen and Christian Bishop are departing.

With a solid core of young players set to return along with five-star signees Ron Holland and AJ Johnson joining the program, Texas has a strong foundation to start with.

Adding instant impact talent via the transfer portal is going to be a priority for Terry and his staff. Texas has had tons of success in recent years from utilizing the portal.

Here is a look at a few potential targets Texas could pursue in the transfer portal.

Alabama MBB reaches out to USC guard Reese Dixon-Waters

The Alabama coaching staff has reached out to USC transfer Reese Dixon-Waters. Dixon-Waters spent the past two seasons with the Trojans.

Alabama’s coaching staff has reportedly reached out to USC guard transfer Reese Dixon-Waters, according to Rivals’ Travis Graf.

Several programs that have followed suit are Kansas, Texas, Arkansas, UCLA, and Louisville.

Dixon-Waters spent two seasons with the Trojans. He made eight starts for the Trojans during the 2022-2023 season. As a sophomore, he averaged 9.8 points per game while shooting an efficient 43.8% from the field. His three-point shooting was average as he shot just 29.6% from beyond the arc.

It is unclear how Alabama will decide to pursue Dixon-Waters. After all, the offseason has just begun in Tuscaloosa. Guards Mark Sears and Jahvon Quinerly have decisions to make. Not to mention, there could be other guards that transfer.

It is too early to predict whether Alabama will have a scholarship spot for Dixon-Waters or not. Nonetheless, he is a player to keep an eye on in the transfer portal for Tide fans.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow news surrounding the Alabama basketball program and the Tide’s involvement in the transfer portal.

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Transfer of Reese Dixon-Waters might not be a bad thing (but let’s wait and see)

RDW was a solid player. He helped #USC. He was not, however, a transformative star. Andy Enfield could get an upgrade.

We won’t tell you that the departure of Reese Dixon-Waters is definitely a good thing for USC. We won’t tell you it’s definitely a bad thing, either. We have to wait and see what Andy Enfield will do about it. We do, however, need to dive into the details of this situation to make sure the stakes and consequences are clear.

It’s true that we gave an early look at what next season’s roster might look like, and that we included Dixon-Waters in that profile. With another offseason of development, Reese Dixon-Waters could have been a really good depth piece on the wing, playing alongside Kobe Johnson and Tre White in a smaller lineup or in a rotation with those two players as part of a deeper lineup which would give Andy Enfield more combinations he can put on the floor.

There was definitely value to be found in keeping RDW on this roster. Losing him could be a problem.

However, this could be a gateway toward improvement for USC. RDW was a solid, decent, competent player, but he had not yet become a game-changer. The hope was that he would become a transformative player next season and give the Trojans the high-end scoring and shotmaking they need from the wings. This past season, RDW certainly did not max out. He made clear contributions to this team as the only reserve Enfield could truly count on. However, he was not an overwhelmingly dominant player. He averaged just under 10 points a game, and his shooting numbers were nothing special. He hit 29.6 percent of 3-pointers, not where USC needed him to be.

When we consider the fact that RDW is transferring, we can reasonably conclude that Dixon-Waters realized he would not get starter-level minutes on next season’s team, with Isaiah Collier coming in at point guard and Kobe Johnson and Tre White being expected to retain starter-level minutes in a lineup with Vince Iwuchukwu and maybe also Joshua Morgan. RDW might have arrived at the realization that he wasn’t going to get a big bump in playing time, and frankly, a junior-to-be should want to go someplace where he can play more minutes.

What else probably happened? We’re not certain of this, but it’s likely that Enfield had a conversation (exit interview?) with RDW and told him it would be challenging to get starter-level minutes, given that Kobe Johnson had a better season and Tre White has more upside. If Enfield did have that kind of conversation, it’s clear that the coach encouraged this transfer and is looking for a better shooter in the transfer portal to upgrade RDW’s position.

If Enfield does find a better 3-point shooter compared to RDW, and USC gets a depth piece on the perimeter with more shotmaking skill, the Trojans’ already-strong roster will get even stronger.

We will ultimately have to wait and see.

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Reese Dixon-Waters, Malik Thomas enter transfer portal

Is this bad news? Is this good news? The only real answer is that it depends how Andy Enfield responds. #USC

The USC Trojans lost to the Michigan State Spartans in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. With that, changes for the USC program are going to come quickly. Start with the reality that Boogie Ellis and Drew Peterson are leaving the program after a sensational run.

Now, two players have entered the transfer portal, with both Malik Thomas and Reese Dixon-Waters leaving the program, according to Jason Jordan.

These are notable losses for USC. The departure of Reese Dixon-Waters is going to present some fascinating new scenarios, especially given the way RDW competed since coming to USC.

The sophomore guard from Long Beach averaged 9.8 PPG this season and had 16 points against Arizona State in the Pac-12 Tournament. He scored 10 against Michigan State. Now he leaves for a new collegiate home.

Malik Thomas played a minimal role for USC this year, averaging just 2.4 PPG in 8.2 minutes across 27 contests.

The 2023-2024 roster will see a ton of changes, and now Andy Enfield and his staff have more work to do in order to replace the production of Dixon-Waters.

More changes could be coming for the USC program, but this is the beginning of what should be a busy offseason in Los Angeles.

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Reese Dixon-Waters tries to replicate Miami NCAA Tournament masterclass

Reese Dixon-Waters was brilliant in the 2022 edition of #MarchMadness. He will need to be on his game in 2023. #USC

When we consider what a winning performance might look like for USC on Friday versus Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament, a strong game from Reese Dixon-Waters would seem to be an essential part of the formula.

If you recall, Reese Dixon-Waters was terrific last March in the 2022 NCAA Tournament against Miami. He is one of the central reasons the Trojans — blown out in the first half — were able to rally and have a chance to win at the end.

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“A bright spot was Reese Dixon-Waters, who finished with 16 points — good for second on the team in the NCAA Tournament game,” we noted in our coverage of that Miami game 12 months ago.

“This was Dixon-Waters’ first double-digit scoring game since February 24 against Oregon State. Dixon-Waters was the spark the Trojans needed off the bench.”

It can’t just be Boogie and Peterson in March. USC needs help. RDW has to be Really, Delightfully Wonderful for the Trojans to advance.

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Reese Dixon-Waters is Pac-12 Sixth Man of the Year; other Trojans win honors too

RDW was a solid #USC reserve. Josh Morgan & Kobe Johnson made the defensive team. Tre White made the All-Freshman Team

The USC Trojans are one win away from locking up an NCAA Tournament bid. Consult our bubble guide for more scenarios and analysis. Even if they don’t get that final victory, the Trojans’ chances of making the field of 68 are still great. It will be hard for them to miss the Big Dance. This doesn’t happen without contributions from a lot of players.

Those players were recognized on Tuesday when the Pac-12’s end-of-season awards and teams were announced.

Boogie Ellis and Drew Peterson made the All-Pac-12 First Team. They led USC this season. The supporting cast made crucial contributions, and those players were also honored in various categories.

Reese Dixon-Waters was named Pac-12 Sixth Man of the Year, a product of his defense more than his offense. Dixon-Waters played really well in the Mountain road trip against Colorado and Utah, helping USC sweep those games and move much closer to the NCAA Tournament. He has been very good down the stretch after a December-January period in which he was solid but hardly spectacular.

Joshua Morgan and Kobe Johnson made the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team. Kobe Johnson is clearly one of the best defensive players in the Pac-12.

Tre White made the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team. He scored 13 huge points in the big win over Arizona State this past Saturday. 

All of these players were essential in getting USC to the doorstep of the NCAA Tournament. They all hope they can generate at least one more win this week at the Pac-12 Tournament. Then USC will be a lock.

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Reese Dixon-Waters plays the way USC hoped he would this season

This is the guy Andy Enfield hoped to see. RDW is playing the way #USC expected. If he stays hot, this is a tournament team.

Reese Dixon-Waters played really well for USC in the 2022 NCAA Tournament against Miami. The way Dixon-Waters performed on the big stage at the end of his freshman season set the table for what was supposed to be a step-forward year, a year in which he needed to become the third scorer and go-to option for this team behind Boogie Ellis and Drew Peterson.

This season, we have seen flashes of brilliance from Reese Dixon-Waters. RDW’s best and most memorable performance was his 7-of-7 shooting line against UCLA in Pauley Pavilion on January 5. That display nearly lifted the Trojans to an upset win. That was the guy Andy Enfield and USC fans hoped to see. However, that version of Dixon-Waters hasn’t been the regular version. Tre White has been better in Pac-12 games (not necessarily the whole season), and Dixon-Waters has been relatively quiet on offense for a good portion of the conference season. It’s true that his defense is valuable in and of itself, but the Trojans hoped RDW would be a major two-way force to supplement Boogie and Peterson. That hasn’t happened to the extent USC wanted.

Until the last two games.

Dixon-Waters missed a few games with an injury in February. His presence was sorely missed on the disastrous Oregon road trip in which the Trojans lost at Oregon State.

He came back to the lineup on Feb. 18 against Stanford and looked a lot like the guy the Trojans were hoping to see this season. He scored 12 points and gave USC a huge lift off the bench. The injury layoff seemed to give him fresh legs and renewed energy.

Thursday night in Boulder, RDW carried his momentum from the Stanford game. He scored 15 points and pulled down five rebounds as part of a balanced effort by the Trojans. If RDW can play like this at Utah on Saturday, and for the rest of the season, the Trojans should make the NCAA Tournament.

Dixon-Waters has scored in double figures in back-to-back games for the first time since November 10 and 15 against Alabama State and Vermont. Good timing.

If RDW can continue to provide timely production, USC becomes a significantly better team.

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Reese Dixon-Waters absent from Saturday’s game vs Washington

Reese Dixon-Waters missing the Washington game came as a surprise to people outside the USC program. It magnified this win, too.

The USC Trojans topped Washington State by 10 on Thursday night, but they lost Joshua Morgan in the process and went into Saturday’s game already down one key player.

Then, Reese Dixon-Waters didn’t suit up for the Trojans on Saturday against the Washington Huskies, providing another tough injury blow to Andy Enfield’s team.

It was a little surprising to see Dixon-Waters not suit up, but he was seen on the bench in sweats prior to tipoff, and the Trojans’ already-thin bench got even thinner with the news.

The absence of Dixon-Waters forced other guys to step up, including Kobe Johnson and Tre White, who led USC in scoring on the night.

As it turns out, Enfield mentioned that Johnson was battling a sprained ankle, and he might not have played much if Dixon-Waters and Morgan were available.

The Trojans’ next few games figure to be challenging; the unpredictable Pac-12 always causes surprises.

When Enfield was asked about the status of both players after the game, he didn’t give a clear timetable for Morgan, although the update is positive for Dixon-Waters.

The Trojans next play on Thursday night against Oregon, and hopefully Dixon-Waters will be ready to go for that contest.

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Mapping out USC’s path to the NCAA Tournament: must-win games, overall targets, and more

USC really needs Reese Dixon-Waters to step up in February

USC has steadily improved in recent weeks because Boogie Ellis has been great and Vince Iwuchukwu is learning how to play. If only Reese Dixon-Waters could thrive.

The USC Trojans are undeniably getting better. Their recent wins over Arizona State and UCLA represented a dramatic improvement from their previous standard of play this season. Boogie Ellis has raised his game when it really mattered. Kobe Johnson continues to do the gruntwork for this team, an essential piece to the larger puzzle for a team whose NCAA Tournament odds have soared over the past week. Vince Iwuchukwu’s 14 to 17 minutes per game are valuable minutes. Opponents don’t hammer USC on the glass nearly as much when Iwuchukwu is on the floor with his size and athleticism.

If only USC could get one more ingredient into the mix as the month of February arrives. The Trojans are improving, but if Reese Dixon-Waters could thrive, this team could truly take off.

Dixon-Waters had a great game for USC against Miami in the NCAA Tournament a year ago. It seemed like the perfect launching pad, a catapult into this season. Dixon-Waters is a big guard who should be able to get to the rim and earn foul shots. He should give USC different dimension to its offense compared to Boogie’s quickness and Drew Peterson’s affinity for turnaround and fadeaway jumpers.

Dixon-Waters is averaging a modest nine points and three rebounds this season. Notably, he played only 14 minutes in the win over UCLA. This marginal a role is not what he or USC had in mind for this season. He figured to be a frontline starter, but Tre White has gotten the lion’s share of minutes in Pac-12 play.

USC will need Reese Dixon-Waters to be more of a factor in February. If he can evolve, USC could be scary in March.

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