If you were asked the question which is circulating at USC basketball right now, “Which Trojan hoops program is in better shape for the NCAA Tournament?”, you would probably put the women in a better position relative to the men. The women’s team doesn’t have a loss to Florida Gulf Coast; the men’s team does. The women’s team beat a clear No. 1 seed, Stanford. The men’s team beat a UCLA team which is a likely No. 2 seed. The USC women won on the road at Colorado, an NCAA Tournament-quality team. The USC men’s best road win in the Pac-12 thus far is at Arizona State, a team currently in the “next four out” (teams five through eight, outside the cut line) for the Big Dance.
Yet, despite that evidence, the USC women match the men in their current projected seed according to an ESPN bracketologist.
On Tuesday, men’s bracketologist Joe Lunardi had the USC men’s team as a No. 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Women’s bracketologist Charlie Creme had the USC women’s team as a No. 9 seed as well.
Yes, the USC women could be the strongest No. 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament, meaning they’re almost at the No. 8 seeding spot, while the men might be the weakest No. 9 seed, meaning they’re closer to the No. 10 line in the bracket. Still, a lot of USC hoops watchers are probably surprised the seed for both teams is the same.
USC basketball is aiming for history in the next six weeks before Selection Sunday. If both Trojan hoop teams make the NCAA Tournament, it will be the first time since 1997 that the school’s two basketball programs will have pulled off the feat.
The USC men host Washington State on Thursday. The USC women host Arizona State on Friday. The Galen Center is the place to be right now in the world of USC Athletics.
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