Tag: Vince Iwuchukwu

Vince Iwuchukwu delivers breakout performance, shows why he was so hyped as a recruit

The five-star big man delivered a five-star performance vs Arizona State. This shows what USC might have produced had Iwuchukwu been healthy enough to play in November.

We have told you on numerous occasions that if USC basketball was struggling during this 2023 season, it’s because the Trojans didn’t have their full roster, the roster Andy Enfield expected to have.

The plan was for the returning veterans, Boogie Ellis and Drew Peterson, to complement big man Vince Iwuchukwu. The formula was going to be similar to what the Trojans had in 2021 with Tahj Eaddy and Isaiah White (and others) complementing Evan Mobley.

Active perimeter and wing defenders could use their length to bother guards and small forwards. They could be aggressive and take chances, knowing that if they took away the 3-point shot and allowed their man to drive to the basket, the big man was there to deter the shot and protect the rim.

On offense, Eaddy and his 2021 USC teammates knew that as long as the Trojans avoided turnovers and were able to collect a lot of shot attempts, Evan Mobley could crash the glass and put back the miss. Having a big man to protect the rim on defense and crash the glass on offense enabled the rest of the team to function without too much pressure or an overly small margin for error. The big man enabled the other four players on the court to breathe.

We saw this same reality in evidence on Saturday night, with Vince Iwuchukwu showing us what was always possible for this team if he could play.

Iwuchukwu, in 14 high-impact minutes, showed why he was a five-star recruit out of high school. He has “jump out of the building” athleticism, a high motor, and intense energy. After not being able to play for USC for the first two months of the season, Iwuchukwu — whose minutes are still being appropriately regulated due to having had a health scare — was able to play 14 minutes instead of five or six. Those added eight minutes proved valuable, because Iwuchukwu began to show real signs of getting into the flow of a game for the first time all season.

In 14 minutes, Iwuchukwu was unleashed. His instructions from Andy Enfield are simple, as they should be. There’s no need to overcomplicate anything about his tasks: Protect the rim and the paint. Rebound. Be the last line of defense. Grab missed shots. Go get ’em!

That’s exactly what Iwuchukwu did.

He scored on a couple of putbacks. He was a force near the rim and on the glass. He collected 12 points and 5 rebounds in his limited playing time. In 14 minutes, he showed USC what it had been missing.

Imagine if he had been able to play just 14 minutes against Wisconsin or Tennessee.

USC probably wins at least one of those two Battle 4 Atlantis games in late November. The Trojans might have been able to guard the perimeter better against Washington State, the game they lost on New Year’s Day. USC might have been able to get the big rebound it failed to get in the final 20 seconds at UCLA.

It’s pretty clear to see: With Vince Iwuchukwu, USC becomes a much, much better team. The other four players on the floor don’t have nearly as many responsibilities. Their burden is a lot lighter. Everyone can relax and play according to his role, much like the 2021 team with Evan Mobley cleaning up so many messes on defense.

Now we’ll see if Vince Iwuchukwu can sustain this. If he can, it’s an obvious game-changer for USC.

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USC hammers Arizona State, makes gains in NCAA Tournament bubble chase and Pac-12 standings

USC badly needed at least a split on its Arizona road trip. It got it, and it did so in surprisingly easy fashion in Tempe. This is a big step forward for the Trojans.

There’s a lot to unpack about USC’s 77-69 win over Arizona State on Saturday night. Almost all of it is good. We’re definitely going to focus on Vince Iwuchukwu’s dynamic night and how much that could change this team’s outlook for the rest of the season. We’re going to look at the balanced contributions from several players on the roster. We’re going to deal with the last four and a half minutes of the game, in which USC completely dozed off and gave Andy Enfield a talking point for the coming week of practice.

For now, though — in this piece — we’re going to look at the most important story: USC’s improved position in the race for an NCAA Tournament berth. The Trojans helped themselves a lot with this win.

The Trojans still aren’t a central factor in the Pac-12 race, but with this victory — combined with UCLA’s loss to Arizona — the Trojans are in a position to move one game behind the Bruins if they can beat them next Thursday in a season-shaping game in the Galen Center. Utah is currently in second place in the Pac-12, but the Utes still have to make the Arizona road trip USC just completed. USC improved its chances of getting a first-round bye at the Pac-12 Tournament (which goes to the top four teams in the conference), which means it will have to win only three games to win an automatic bid instead of four, should it come to that.

If the Trojans are in the hunt for an at-large bid, getting a first-round bye means they would not have to play a bottom-tier team (a No. 12 or 11 seed) in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament, which both hurts the resume and puts USC at risk of a profile-killing loss. The win over Arizona State gave USC a lot of leverage in the Pac-12.

Most of all, though, this win gives USC a quality road win on the resume, in addition to the home-court win over Auburn. Utah and Arizona State are the other bubble teams USC is fighting for position. Neither the Utes nor the Sun Devils have a Pac-12 road win as good as this one for the Trojans. Utah lost at UCLA. Arizona State has lost to UCLA and Arizona at home. ASU and Utah haven’t played each other; they eventually will in Tempe later this season.

USC isn’t ahead of Arizona State, but the Trojans are now much closer to the Sun Devils than they were before. USC probably still needs to beat either UCLA or Arizona to feel good about its NCAA Tournament chances, but this win over ASU means that if USC can really clean up against all non-UCLA, non-Arizona teams in the Pac-12, it could potentially have an alternate path to the NCAAs. A win over UCLA or Arizona now feels like a “this will definitely get UCLA into the tournament” win, as opposed to a “USC absolutely must win to have any chance” situation.

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USC basketball welcomes Vince Iwuchukwu, prepares for huge Arizona road trip

Can Vince Iwuchukwu change the equation for #USC, even on a minutes restriction? We tackle that and more in this hoops podcast. @IanHest produced the show.

The USC Trojans were finally able to put Vince Iwuchukwu on the floor this past week. Iwuchukwu gained medical clearance to play from doctors, who have been closely monitoring his health and well-being after he suffered an episode of cardiac arrest in July of 2022. Iwuchukwu played a total of 11 minutes in the two-game homestand versus Colorado and Utah. He will remain under a minutes restriction in the coming weeks, but we will see if he might be able to play a slightly higher amount of minutes per game.

He played five minutes against Colorado, six against Utah. Could we see eight or nine minutes against Arizona or Arizona State? It’s an important question, given how big this upcoming Arizona road trip is. USC really needs a split to improve its chances of making the NCAA Tournament, but it certainly won’t be easy against two tournament-quality opponents.

We discuss USC men’s basketball in our latest podcast episode. Ian Hest produced the show:

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Though 2023 is uncertain, USC basketball could be setting up something special for 2024

If Vince Iwuchukwu — unable to play extended minutes this season — comes back next season, he would join Isaiah Collier and Arrinten Page. The Trojans could really cook.

The USC Trojans are on the wrong side of the NCAA Tournament bubble on January 15. They are not one of the first four teams out of the field. They might be part of the “next four out” at best. Most likely, they’re in the 9-15 range. If they are on the bubble, it’s at the very low end. They have two months to do something about that, beginning with this next crucial series of games against the Arizona schools and UCLA.

Maybe it won’t work out for USC this season, but the Trojans haven’t been playing with a full allotment of resources. Not having big man Vince Iwuchukwu — who finally joined the lineup this week after his cardiac arrest episode in July, but played very sparingly and will be brought along slowly — has limited what this team can do. That is frustrating … but it also opens the door to what’s possible next season if Iwuchukwu returns.

Imagine a full-speed Iwuchukwu, playing anything more than 25 minutes per game, performing alongside elite point guard Isaiah Collier and Collier’s Wheeler High School teammate, forward Arrinten Page. Collier is the playmaking guard USC has lacked since Jordan McLaughlin. He would bring instant chemistry with Page. Iwuchukwu could be the roving defender-rebounder Evan Mobley was, and he can clean the glass while Collier draws defenders and demands attention. One can see how the USC roster could come together beautifully.

USC might not make the NCAA Tournament this season, but the Trojans are still a top-five Pac-12 team. If they can bring all their big guns into next season and land a high-impact transfer in the portal, they could be set up to do something really special.

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USC, clearly at less than full strength, is somehow third in the Pac-12

Despite being without Vince Iwuchukwu for the first two months of the season, USC is in third place in the Pac-12. Now the Trojans will see what their ceiling is.

The USC Trojans are waking up Sunday morning to discover that they are all alone in third place in the Pac-12 Conference. They are one of only three teams with fewer than three losses in the conference. Only UCLA (7-0) and Arizona State (6-1) are ahead of the 5-2 Trojans in the conference standings. Arizona State is the big surprise in the conference, with Arizona falling to 4-3 and getting very little consistent production from its backcourt. Utah started 5-0 in the Pac-12 but has lost three straight games. Colorado can’t get off the ground; the Buffaloes were swept in Los Angeles this weekend and blew a nine-point lead against UCLA by allowing a 24-3 run. Oregon did beat Arizona, but the Ducks are barely above .500 for the season at 10-8. They have to start stacking wins to have any shot at playing in March.

USC being in line to get a first-round bye at the Pac-12 Tournament is obviously important for the simple reason that if the Trojans haven’t secured an at-large bid, they will need to win the Pac-12 tourney. Winning only three games instead of four — provided they get the first-round bye — matters a great deal.

It’s true that USC is not currently in NCAA Tournament position. It’s also true that making the NCAA Tournament should be the annual standard for a program if that program wants to be viewed as a top-tier program. However, we can make an exception for this specific season at USC, if only because the Trojans have been shorthanded the whole way, playing without the five-star big man who was going to make this a complete team.

Vince Iwuchukwu was supposed to take the baton from Isaiah Mobley and continue USC’s run of elite big men. Imagine if Iwuchukwu did not have health problems and could have practiced full-speed in October and played from the start of the season. The Trojans might not have lost to Florida Gulf Coast. They might have had the extra defense and rebounding which could have pushed them over the top in close games versus Tennessee and Wisconsin and UCLA. Winning just one of those games would have meant a lot for USC. Winning two of those games would have the Trojans in the NCAA Tournament. Of course, that’s not the reality USC was given. Andy Enfield had to live with a clearly limited roster.

Now that Iwuchukwu is beginning to get minutes — albeit only a few, under a necessary restriction so that he isn’t overextended — USC has a chance to eventually become the team Enfield hoped it would be. USC is in a race against the clock to improve as quickly as it can while not asking Iwuchukwu to do too much, too soon. Can the Trojans improve to the extent that even a small contribution from Iwuchukwu can propel them to important wins over the next several weeks? The fact that we’re asking that question shows that USC has done a good job of staying in the hunt and giving itself a chance to play its way into the NCAA Tournament.

Without Iwuchukwu over the first two months of the season, it easily could have been a lot worse than this.

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The big bonus of USC’s Colorado-Utah sweep: Vince Iwuchukwu gets integrated into the lineup

He played only 11 minutes, but Vince Iwuchukwu got a taste of live action. Now he can study film, practice, and give USC more defense against Arizona and ASU.

The USC Trojans didn’t know when or if Vince Iwuchukwu was going to join them when this college basketball season began. This past week, we finally got some reports which pointed to medical clearance for the five-star recruit, who suffered an episode of cardiac arrest this past July.

There was speculation that Iwuchukwu could play on Saturday against Utah, but USC was able to get him into the Colorado game on Thursday. All told, Iwuchukwu played 11 minutes this week — five against CU, six versus Utah — and got his feet wet in the world of college basketball.

Iwuchukwu made a very minimal statistical footprint, but he was able to play a few game segments and begin his college basketball education.

He played in the first half against Colorado, and in the second half against Utah. Andy Enfield put him in different situations to acclimate him to a wider set of circumstances. Against Utah, he was able to defend smaller offensive players and cover more of the floor. He grabbed a defensive rebound and made a small but noticeable step forward in his development.

Enfield achieved something valuable this week: not only giving Iwuchukwu some minutes, but doing so without drastically disrupting the USC rotation. Playing Iwuchukwu could have reduced USC’s defensive chemistry and led to a bad game sequence and a costly loss to either CU or Utah, but USC was able to integrate Iwuchukwu into the lineup and not lose either of these two games. Iwuchukwu was initiated without paying any price in terms of wins and losses.

Now USC has four days before the Arizona game on Thursday. Iwuchukwu can look at what he did and study game film. We will see if Enfield is able to play him eight or nine minutes (up from five or six) and get more defense from Iwuchukwu. If he can defend Arizona’s big men, Azuolas Tubelis and/or Oumar Ballo, on Thursday, USC’s ability to handle Arizona’s offense becomes much better.

No one should expect any offensive contributions from Iwuchukwu just yet, but if he can add to USC’s defense, the Trojans could make noticeable improvements just in time for some of the bigger games of their season in Arizona.

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Vince Iwuchukwu makes USC basketball debut with family in attendance versus Colorado

There was speculation that Iwuchukwu, who suffered cardiac arrest in July, would be cleared to play for Saturday’s Utah game. He was allowed to play two days earlier.

There had been some speculation earlier this week that Vince Iwuchukwu, the latest elite USC big man to be successfully recruited by Andy Enfield, might be medically cleared to play for Saturday’s game against Utah.

A Trojan surprise emerged Thursday night against Colorado.

Iwuchukwu was given the green light to play against the Buffaloes. Without much of any advance publicity, Iwuchukwu made his debut in the Galen Center and received a standing ovation from the crowd when he made his appearance.

This first game for Iwuchukwu at USC was not important for any stats or team contributions. The main triumph — and purpose — of this game was that it marked Iwuchukwu’s recovery from cardiac arrest in July. One wondered if the five-star big man would be able to play this season. Clearly, he made medical progress and satisfied doctors who established a set of guidelines and protocols for him to follow.

Iwuchukwu played five minutes against Colorado, essentially getting his feet wet in a slow process which should not create any expectations of instant, large-scale production. Iwuchukwu is being thrown into the middle of the Pac-12 schedule. He isn’t getting any cupcake games against Long Beach State or Cal State Fullerton in which he can play with comparatively less pressure. Each Pac-12 game is hugely important for the Trojans as they try to improve their NCAA Tournament odds. It’s a juggling act for Andy Enfield as he tries to get Iwuchukwu integrated into the rotation and the flow of the season while not overly disrupting the roster balance and chemistry this team has established.

USC obviously needs Iwuchukwu’s size, defense and rebounding, but getting him into the flow of a Pac-12 season could cause disruptions. Each game USC can win while Iwuchukwu gains more experience is a real step forward. Consider the Colorado game the first step in this complicated journey.

The best part of Thursday night: Iwuchukwu’s family was able to be there supporting him, an emotional moment for a family which endured the trauma of seeing Vince suffer in July:

USC’s next game is Saturday night against Utah. Iwuchukwu will face another minutes restriction, but merely being able to play basketball — after all he has been through — is a signifcant and wonderful development for him and his family.

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USC lineup combinations without Vince Iwuchukwu are limited; Trojans made them work vs Auburn

If Vince Iwuchukwu had been able to play this season, USC could put him on the floor with good offensive players. As is, Andy Enfield can’t make that tradeoff.

There’s a definite juggling act Andy Enfield will have to perform as this season moves along: How long can I rest my starters without getting punished defensively? People will look at Drew Peterson’s 38 minutes on Sunday against Auburn and will see that Peterson hit just 2 of 10 shots. Why is he getting 38 minutes when he’s not delivering big numbers on offense?

It’s simple: Peterson defends well. His length, reach and intelligence all make him essential to USC at the defensive end of the floor. Even though he might miss a lot of shots, Peterson saves points for USC because his defense prevents the other team from scoring. Replacing Peterson with a better offensive player sounds good in theory, but that better offensive player will give up a lot of points at the other end of the floor.

Consider Malik Thomas.

Whereas Peterson shot terribly against Auburn in 38 minutes, Thomas scored seven points in seven minutes, hitting 3 of 4 shots. Why does Peterson get 38 minutes and Thomas only seven? Defense. Thomas is just not ready at that end of the floor. He would give up more baskets than he scores if he played 20 minutes.

This is a big part of why Vince Iwuchukwu’s absence matters so much.

If Iwuchukwu could play, he would clean up a lot of messes and stop a lot of dribble drives at the rim. Guards and wings could let their man drive to the basket, knowing Iwuchukwu could stop them. It’s not an airtight defensive strategy, but teammates would have a larger margin for error. Enfield would have more reason to play offense-first, defense-second guards with Iwuchukwu as a defensive counterbalance on the court. With Iwuchukwu unavailable, Enfield can’t do that. It’s why Thomas played just seven minutes despite scoring seven points.

USC has to find lineups which give the Trojans more balance and can give more rest to the starters as the season moves along.

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Can Andy Enfield get a transfer big man to replace Vince Iwuchukwu this season?

With Vince Iwuchukwu recovering from a heart attack and being unlikely to receive medical clearance, #USC needs a big man. A notable transfer just entered the portal.

USC’s 2023 men’s basketball team is in a difficult spot for one primary reason: The big man who was supposed to be the next great USC defensive star has been sidelined by health problems.

Andy Enfield has forged a successful tenure at USC by recruiting elite defensive big men and molding them into game-changing defenders who also rebound and score.

Onyeka Okongwu. Evan and Isaiah Mobley. USC has needed low-post anchors to form the backbone of Enfield’s recent teams.

Vince Iwuchukwu was supposed to be the next important and equation-shaping big man who made USC a top-tier defensive force.

USC’s defense has not been bad this season, but the Trojans would have a significantly better defense with Iwuchukwu on the floor. If Iwuchukwu had been able to play, USC would probably be allowing several fewer points per game.

That might have been the difference in close losses to Tennessee and Wisconsin, and it might have prevented the Florida Gulf Coast game from getting out of hand.

Imagine if Iwuchukwu had played: USC might be 10-1 instead of 8-3.

Iwuchukwu, of course, suffered from an instance of cardiac arrest, which reportedly occurred in July. He has not been medically cleared to play, and it’s unlikely he will receive medical clearance this season.

Given that hole on the roster, USC could sure use a big man in the transfer portal.

Guess what? A very attractive prospect is now on the open market:

Fardaws Aimaq would be a godsend for Enfield and USC. Can the Trojans pounce? It could save their season. Let’s see what happens.

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USC 5-star freshman Vince Iwuchukwu had cardiac arrest in July; not medically cleared to play

Iwuchukwu was next in line as the new frontcourt force for USC. He told Matt Norlander of CBS that he was hospitalized and is recovering. No timetable exists for a return.

USC football is doing really well. Meanwhile, USC basketball is dealing with a significant complication several weeks before the start of the new hoops season.

Vince Iwuchukwu was Andy Enfield’s latest high-profile big-man recruit. Following Onyeka Okongwu and Evan Mobley — two top-six NBA draft picks from the past few years — Iwuchukwu was next in line as an elite frontcourt force who would give USC length, defense, rebounding, and an imposing presence which would enable the rest of the roster to focus on wing and perimeter defense. This is part of the Enfield formula, which has worked very well for the Trojans in recent years. USC made the Elite Eight in 2021 and won the most games in a single season in program history in 2022. Getting that anchor big man and surrounding him with complementary role players who can defend and pass has been a winning equation for USC.

Now that equation has been altered.

Iwuchukwu told Matt Norlander of CBS Sports on Thursday that he suffered cardiac arrest during a July team workout. He was hospitalized. He is recovering and is in good spirits. His return, however, is entirely uncertain, with no timetable for possible medical clearance.

Norlander compared this story to another recent instance in which a college basketball player had an acutely worrisome health episode:

We send our prayers and best wishes to Vince Iwuchukwu for a complete recovery, and to his family as Vince continues to heal.

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